Grimoire: The Lustbound Heart
by Anime Borat
Summary: Kimura indulged himself in a once-in-a-lifetime night of passion. He did not know of the harrowing that lay ahead or the unfettered horror he brought into the world. And they are calling to him. WARNING: Contains language, sex and violence.
1. Depraved Desires

**Grimoire: The Lustbound Heart  
**

**Prologue Arc: Depraved Desires  
**

Disclaimer: Azumanga Daioh is the property of Kiyohiko Azuma and J.C. Staff. No copyright infringement intended.  
I thank **Elred Bluegreen, Solarius Scorch, Hwikek and Miz-KTakase** for helping me with this story. This is my first horror story set in Azumanga Daioh which makes a serious take on our favorite ero teacher, Mr. Kimura. Inspired by Clive Barker, HP Lovecraft and Japanese horror. Please review rate and suggest. The prologue would consist of three parts. If it doesn't scare you outright, it will disturb you and make you question my mental state. This kind my not be for the squeamish so skip if you want. Tell your friends about this too.

_Fear is only as deep as the mind allows._

-Japanese Proverb

He was in the park watching from the bushes. He carried a camera, binoculars, and a bird watcher's guide making people think he had an interest in birds. He was sightseeing, but not for birds. He watched the most elusive of pleasures he had ever known, high school girls. He had always desired them for their beauty and innocence, especially the latter for he wished to claim it for himself. He moved around the park during weekdays at around 3:30 PM when all the students left school for home or for some other diversion. He preferred it that way. He never liked the weekends because the school girls appeared merely as faces in the crowd, bland and dull. It was their uniforms that carried the magic, that always turned him on.

He was sometimes inconspicuous in a crowd, clicking his camera at his unsuspecting 'game'. Sometimes he would take cover in the wooded areas of the park, when he felt himself being watched. And when he wanted to linger on, to watch and take one more photo of his favorite girls, using one of his telescopic lenses. The girl who was under his watch always thought she was alone. Or 'they' if they were in a group. And that was exactly what he had in his sights. There were seven of them in all. It was his lucky day.

"Hey, let's go play Krazy Kart!" Tomo shouted with glee, "We have lots of free time today!"

"Don't forget, we have a test tomorrow." Yomi reminded everyone. She took out a tetra pack of iced tea from her bag.

"Oh my,Yomi. Try to forget everything once in a while and relax. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy, you know."

There was a pause for a while. Finally, Yomi replied, "I don't want to. And the reverse is true for you." She stabbed the pack with a straw.

"I'm not stupid, Miss Smarty-pants! And don't kill the mood!" Tomo snapped.

"By the way, whose test tomorrow is it?" Osaka airily asked. He noticed that she was least attractive. There was nothing that made her appealing to him.

"It's Mr. Kimura's quiz." Sakaki quietly replied. The girls shuddered. The teacher who announced his desire for high school girls in class left a lot of them shaking. The 'bird watcher' grunted in envy. _The bastard gets to be with them for a whole day_, he thought. He had heard something about him during one of those culture fests. He heard it from some students who where talking about him and some faculty too. Not a very good impression from the girls and teachers for sure but the boys loved him. He turned back to the girls.

Tomo finally broke the silence. "O…kay, let's not forget that and besides, Kagura is taking time off from her exercise routine. This is her only chance to join us."

"Yeah! I can't wait till I play Krazy Kart!" Kagura exclaimed. She was giddy like a child now that her friends were here.

Chihiro called out from behind, "Hey guys! Wait for me!"

"Hey Chihiro! Just in time to join us!" Tomo said as the girl caught up to the rest of the group.

The conversation became indistinct as he put down his binoculars and took out his camera. _Just in time! One more girl today!_ He carefully took his photos and stalked behind the bushes. He positioned himself for a good shot while staying in the shadows, knowing being caught in his hobby would be most...troublesome. The man did not want to contemplate the consequences.

The "bird watcher" followed them until they left the park. He decided to call it a day. He methodically scanned his surroundings and let out a sigh of relief. He never ventured far beyond the park in his forays. The man always made sure of he was never followed or watched throughout his time in the park. And always had an alibi prepared if he was ever spotted. But so far, he had never needed to use it. The atmosphere outside seemed to turn cold and with that he fled the park as the day turned to dusk.

He arrived at the local Gold Mart; a convenience store chain to which he was a franchisee. He arrived at this time of day to inspect the normally bustling store. Looking from the window at a distance surprised that it was rather sparse. Only a few costumers scattered around the aisles. An employee spotted him walking to the entrance.

The employee greeted him just as he got out, "Good afternoon, Endaka-san. I didn't expect you to be early today."

"It's all right," he answered. He entered through the door and approached the clerk. He asked him, "How are the sales going?"

The clerk smiled and replied, "Things are going well, sir. Sales rates are up by 200 percent this week and Mr. Nagata is proud of our performance."

"Hmm, that's something." He mused.

"And he'll be coming tomorrow to discuss about your performance and expanding this branch."

"Oh. I'll be with him at his earliest possible convenience." His mind thinks otherwise, _I hope it's just another discussion of employee performance and restocking of goods for the next month_. He hopes it's just that. It's a really long story. His liking for high school girls have been acquired… from a long time ago. Outside the day turned to a kaleidoscope of pink, orange, red, and purple. "I have to go. There's stuff I have to settle at home."

"Alright, Mr. Endaka," replied the clerk, "I'll see to it that everything is in working order." After that, Endaka went to his office to check his inventory and other mundane affairs in the store. Not that he has to stay cooped up in his office everyday and this is some of those occasions where he can take the day off. He is not worried since the ever-reliable clerk and another employee manages things for him on those days. He stays in an office in the store room to monitor the CCTV system installed in the store. When something wrong or something important shows up, he would give him a call from his cell phone. Endaka smiled with satisfaction.

He then left through the back of the store. Not very much activity there either. He moved to his car, a Toyota sedan, parked in the corner of the lot. He walked to the car and he reached into his pocket. He fumbled with his keys until he found the right ones. He opened the door and got in. He started the car and slowly steered around the parking lot. He then maneuvered it out onto the road for the trip home.

He arrived at his house and he quickly got out of his car to open the gate. He got back in his car to wheel it in. Then he got back out to close the gate. Endaka walked to his front door and taked out the bunch of keys from his pocket. He glanced at the clock. It was already five, time to watch the news. He wearily took off his shoes and placed them on the shoe rack. He then took a pair of slippers from the rack and put them on. With a sigh of relief, he sat down on the couch and effortlessly took the ever-present remote from its perch on the arm. He turned the TV on. The news appeared right on time. Today's feature was teh same as always. A traffic accident here, a violent robbery there, a cabinet meeting scheduled for next week, a terrorist attack somewhere around the world, the weather report, the value of yen, and the hit song and the latest fad.

Not that everything he saw is really interesting. But he always had apprehension, whenever a face of a suspect shows up on the tube. Endaka had chills down his spine on those occasions. On the surface, he is a solitary but respectable fellow, franchisee of a convenience store and a level-headed and easy-going man. However, barely a soul has any idea about his real life and Endaka is not even his real name. He had something that lay below the surface of people's everyday understanding of him.

* * *

_Several years ago..._

Inside an orphanage in the woody outskirts of an unknown city, a two-story house sat in a high walled enclosure. The night was essentially silent, save for the occasional chirp of crickets. If one scaled the decrepit walls, cracked with peeling fading paint and covered with vines. Silently moving towards the house, one would hear the heart-wrenching sounds. The whappack of canes, the crack of leather belts, the shouts of abuse, screams of pain, and the sobbing of children. Fists making contact with flesh and bone. All of this echoed throughout the building with distressing regularity.

The children ate, slept and do their daily activities in fear. The personnel loomed over them menacingly.

"Eat your shit, you fucking brat!" A man grabbed a fistful of hair from a small boy and lifted him up. He then smashed his face against his spilled curry and rubbed him hard against the mess. The other children in the dark eating hall huddled.

The man, finished, quickly turned to some of the other children and shouted, "Finish your food or you'll end up like him too!"

The children meekly turned to their plates and resumed eating, albeit pathetically. At a corner table, four girls huddled in fear as they ate their meager meals. They have disheveled hair, making them look pitiful. One of them was squirming with fright. She turned to one of her companions, "Amaya, I'm scared. I don't think I can keep this up any longer."

"Hush, Hisako!" Whispered her friend. "Just finish your food and they'll leave you alone."

Hisako turned to back to her food. A shout rang from behind her.

"Hey! Why are you not eating!"

Another inmate, this time a girl, got beaten. Her screams and cries echoed throughout as she was half dragged out of the room. They cowered even more and proceeded to finish the remains of their food. Their meal time ended when the clock rang. It's time for them to go bed. The children made a march to their bed rooms. Here the five girls cherished the relative safety of the room. Outside, they could hear the beatings and the screams that became a common nighttime occurrence, only to abate the lateness of the hour. The girls lay down in bed to contemplate their preparations amidst the oppressive atmosphere.

"They're giving him the casket punishment." Hisako said quietly. The boy's screams and the brutish guard's shouts pierced the night's calm. It made the darkness more sinister.

"I don't think we'll make it." One of the girls said. She began sobbing.

"Don't worry, everyone, we'll get out of here if we stick together." Amaya whispered to everyone. "Mai, please calm down. We need you."

"But what if we get caught. They'll kill us or give us to Oni-sama."

The very utterance of the name sent chills down their spines. They heard about that some of the girls who were really troublesome were sent to him. Every one of them who goes through whatecver it was are no longer themselves. Whatever unspoken horrors they endured, they kept eerily silent. They were lifeless and catatonic. Everyone wondered where he broke them, but no one dared to find out where 'Oni-sama' does his work.

"Mai, you are the only who sneaked out without being caught. We need you in this one." Amaya reminded. There were footsteps outside echoing through the night.

The last of the girls, Sora, said to everyone. "Hush, everyone, the guards are making their rounds. We have to wait till one o' clock." At that everyone uneasily lay down and shut their eyes pretending to be asleep.

* * *

_At the house night had fallen. The news had ended and a drama series began to play. The man got up, turned off the tube and went towards the kitchen. There he fixed himself up a sandwich and a drink. As he ate, he contemplated about his life. Ten years he hid ever since that orphanage incident. At the first sign of danger he betrayed his colleauges by taking their money and leaving them for good. For months the police hounded him from place to place searching him from the seediest back alleys to the remotest towns. He had to leave sooner or later. Then came a day he had chanced upon a lonely grave in a cemetery where he was taking shortcut on one rainy foggy day. There he found it in a deteriorated condition. The broken stone pillar was slightly leaning, making appear it was sinking into the muddy ground it was set on; the surface worn smooth with cracks on the edges and overrun with vegetation, no doubt from years of neglect. He squinted to see the name written on the tombstone: Takeo Endaka._

_ Then an idea hit him. If he took the dead man's identity, he would be off the hook but he would have to disappear and lay low for a while. From that day on he started his new life. A month later he had his new identity forged and later one night he escaped the police and the country, taking the slow boat out to the Middle East and freedom. There he worked as a supervisor in a construction company for seven years. But he missed Japan. It seemed the winds of the old country were calling to him. He mulled over that thought for days, until he decided to return. Perhaps the police had given up on him already. He quit his job and took all the money he had saved for going home. One of the most memorable things in his life happened to him three days before his return._  
_  
_

* * *

He was walking on the crowded busy souq where he scouted for souvenirs to bring home with. Walking in the hot, crowdy and dusty streets was something he wasn't used to since he had spent time in his work station. He surveyed the many shops that lined the souq until he noticed one a bearded man banging a radio. The man, a shopkeeper, was somewhat idle at this time of the day in his rather crowded shop, not unusual here in these parts. "Blasted radio," the shopkeeper muttered banging the set.

Endaka greeted him, "Good morning."

"Oh, good morning," the shopkeeper replied with a good-natured chuckle. "I didn't notice you. I wasn't expecting customers until the next hour and was just getting this piece of junk here working." He pointed to the radio.

"No argument there." He said. "May I have a look around here?"

"Oh, most certainly. Follow me." He offered. Endaka follwed the man. There he showed him all the wares in his shop with the grace of someone who prides himself in his trade. He watched it with a little boredom since he is just like all the other shopkeepers in this place, although he had to admire this man since he took his livelihood seriously enough to put everything in his shop in meticulous order. As his eyes gazed around he noticed a small radio set that was seating in a corner. It was an old set like the ones used in the 1940's. It was worn and it had a little dent.

He asked him, "What's that radio doing over there? Is it for sale?"

The shopkeeper raised an eyebrow and turned to the direstion of the object, "You mean that? Well, that thing was seating on my shop for quite a long time. I never used it or sold it to anyone."

Endaka was puzzled, "How come?"

The shopkeeper replied slowly, a dark cloud had cast over his eyes, "A merchant from down south came to my family one night. I was helping out at the shop when he arrived. He was fleeing the unrest that gripped that country during that time. My father and him were talking about the fighting that raged all over there. After that he should him his wares including an old radio, which he was going to give it him for free."

"Free?"

"The thing had a bizarre history. The merchant begged for my father to take it. From what I heard this radio, they say, belonged to some archeologist. He said about all sorts of strange things about that set. There was one story that told about how it came to him. The original owner died during the Catastrophe." His breath grew heavy and his hands curled into fist.

Endaka noticed his change of mood. He knew that the 'Catastrophe' was when the new nation of Israel was formed, "I'm sorry...You don't have to continue..."

"But I must continue." the shopkeeper said. He then continued, "During the fighting, the poor man was looted by bandits when he tried to flee the country. Interestingly, all had was his notes, logbook and the radio. The ringleader, according to one tale, betrayed his men and went off to the desert alone. Some say he killed his men during in their sleep. Whatever version each tale they say the same thing: he came to a camp of Bedioun one night and started crying insanely into the air. Something like, 'The end is near! Ignorance is bliss! Satan shall again walk the earth!' He fell on the sand and died three hours later. The frightened folk found the man with his torso ripped open and all his innards are gone. And the thing he was carrying with him was that." The two men turned to the radio before facing each other again.

The pervert felt his spine run cold, "Really...?"

"It's just a third of it." He replied. "An autopsy was performed by a missionary doctor who found out that he was already dead for three days. Then some time later and by whatever means it turned up in a market in Aden. Another man who bought died in his sleep three days later. It finally ended up with the merchant who lost his family even before the war started. His wife was beatened to death while he was away on a business trip. Then his eldest son died when he slipped off the roof of his house. And tragically, his second son and his daughter were killed during the fighting."

"My God...that thing is cursed..."

"True. He told us of the radio turning on by itself even in the absence of power and uttering voices. Voices of the dead including that of his poor family, plus voices of which he could not comprehend. And worst, voices so unearthly that some claim to come from hell. He begged us to take it of his hands and said to say prayers before destroying it. After that he left."

"Did anything happened to you after that?"

"First, my father. He was going to destroyed that thing as promised but he died of a heart attack while he was going to the mosque. Then a passerby told us about it and gave us back to radio. Then their was my mother. She was killed in a cooking fire while preparing food before dawn." His voice had betrayed some sorrow. "Then there was my brother. He started using damn thing and had became consumed by it. He died after we had a very violent argument. He walked out of the house and got killed by a passing car." The man felt exhausted and limp. He took a seat on a nearby stool.

Endaka was silent. Then the man continued, "Before my brother died, he said something about the radio that will fulfill his heart's desire. And there some more stories surrounding it, that it turns on during least expected hours of the night even when no one is touching it, wailing all sorts of things. At times myself I would just hear ordinary radio broadcast. Then it would change to the voice of the love of my heart. Then I can hear the voices of Mother and Father, and then...that of my brother after he died. Then those unearthly voices saying things I couldn't understand. At times it would persist to the wee hours of the morning. I don't know if all of it is real or not."

Endaka felt sympathy of the man. He said to him. "Alright...I'll take it?"

The shopkeeper raised his head "What?"

"I said 'I'll take it.'"

"I'll give it you for free."

"No, no. I'll pay you. It should be worth of all the trouble you've been through." So they discussed price, although the merchant is less than enthusiastic about it than Mr. Endaka. He got it at a rather cheap price. At his room one night, he wondered whether the shopkeeper made it up or told the truth as pondered about the new radio. It worked perfectly, blaring the tunes of popular American songs. He decided he was telling the truth...as he sees it... since he is willing to give it away so much. Two days later he was on a plane home and ready to start over with a clean slate.

* * *

Already it was nine o'clock, the gibbous night sitting complacently above the world. Time to get those pictures ready. He walked upstairs to his bedroom and opened the door. Inside his bedroom he couldn't contain his excitement as he sat on his desk. There he turned on his computer and took out the SD card. He mused while he waited for the computer to load. Soon he'll add today's new set of pictures to his collection for him to gaze in glee.

In his albums he already had a gallery of beauties to grace his dreams from his trips to Kasukabe and Nishinomiya including a girl with green eyes, long blue hair, a catlike mouth and the body of a sixth grader; a taller glasses-wearing girl with long pink hair and an excellently proportoned body, who somewhat resembled one of his recent prey; another one with orange ribbons on her hair and a playful, if annoying and mischevous, bearing; her friend with wavy autumn hair and a large bust size, and pale, gray-haired girl who looks lifeless. He would normally like to watch them but he was always irritated by the two boys that always escort them home. One of them is a brunette so handsome that he doubted if he liked girls while the other has a dispassionate look on his face. Just then, he forgot forgot to turn on his radio.

Endaka got up and went to the nightstand to turn it on. He then tuned it in to a channel where he listens to good music. Then he went back on his seat. He plugged the SD card to the comp. He then proceeded to copy the files in a folder. Finally, he began printing. He got his first picture hot off the press, the seven girls that he stalked in the park. He was enjoying his prize and letting his mind wander off.

_KZZZZT! KZZZZ KZZZZ_

The static noise from the radio took him out of his revelry. He looked at it. He stood up and turned to it. As always, he turned the knob to change station. It switched to a radio comedy. He turned his back to continue printing his gallery. Then it turned back to blaring static again. Somethings wrong. He tuned in to several stations but it was the same thing. He broke cold sweat when he remembered the shopkeeper's story. _No, it's just plain nonesense_, he thought. He got back and turned it off. Just as he returned to his chair the radio slowly crackled back to life. Endaka felt unease, not knowing what to make it. The radio crackled static that squalled variably from high to low pitches, like an unseen hand turning the knobs. The printer hummed away at the back added to the eerie ambience. He stood there like a statue, his heart seized with fear and confusion as he couldn't decide on what to make of it, whether to flee or stay. The squalling persisted on what seemed to be an eternity. Then it stopped. Each second became an hour as he feebly shuffled his feet a bit. Finally, the radio uttered back to life.

It whispered electrically, "_Se..iji...Seiji..._"

Something dark and primal crept into him, it mentioned his his real first name. Mustering all the courage that he could scrape, however, he answered weakly, "Yes...?"

The radio replied, "_Come...hi...ther...Seiji..._"

That really chilled him. His mind was screaming him to move his feet and bolt for the door. The radio continued, "_Do...not...be...afraid..._"

His voice got shaky, "H-how t-the hell did you know my name?"

"_I...have...been...with...you...quite...some...time..._"

"W-what do y-you want from me?"

"_Please...come...hither...I...have...things...to...show...you..._"

Perplexed, he approached the thing slowly, his heart pounding so loudly that it was practically the only thing he could hear as he made each feverish step to it. He remembered his talk with the shopkeeper. About the voices that could be heard at night. But this is totally different! They are calling to him out front. And he wasn't sure why he obeyed it. Finally, Endaka stopped in front of it and knelt before it. He spoke, "What...things? Why do you call to me?"

"_Your...desires...," _it replied cryptically, _"I...can...fulfill...them..._"

He suddenly recalled the part about shopkeeper's brother saying that it can grant anyone's wishes like some goddamned magic lamp. It continued, "_Do...not...heed...his...words..._"

"W-who's words? You mean the shopkeeper?" _How in the hell does it what I'm thinking?_

"_Yes...he...is...unworthy... He...refuses...to...let...go... To...open...his...heart...to...me... But...I...bear...no...ill...will...on...you..._"

"But he said you're-" He retorted.

"_Cursed...? I...never...wished...harm... But...some...of...them...clung...to...their...fears...hatreds...and ignorance... Others...feel...they...I am...only...worth...a...day's...bread..._"

"How about his brother?" His distress had subsided a bit.

"_He...was...too...rash... Too...excessive... His...folly...was...his...love...for...mammon... I...never...desired...his...expiration...but... he...merely...thought...of...me...as... a mere trinket...for...his...grandiose...schemes... I...had...to...act...swiftly..._"

"You...killed him? You had to, I mean."

"_Yes... Yet...your own desires...are...much...more...simpler... I...shall...grant...them...as...token...of...my...gratitude..._" At those words, Endaka went back to high spirits. He was both overjoyed and relieved. He asked it, "You mean it?"

The voice became more coherent, "_I...never...broke...my...word... Invoke to me...your desires...and...I...shall grant...them..._"

Endaka could not believe his ears, it was too good to be true. He said to it, "I am in your debt. Shall I begin?"

It whispered its reply, "_Please. Take your time._"

He began with his job at the orphanage and about how he attained his desire for school girls. Their youthfulness and innocence he first tasted.

* * *

This the longest first chapter I've ever done. The next part of the prologue would come shortly.


	2. The Escape from Desolace's Bastion

**Prologue Arc: The Escape from Desolace's Bastion  
**

Disclaimer: Azumanga Daioh is the property of Kiyohiko Azuma and J.C. Staff. No copyright infringement intended. This is the second part of the prologue which focuses primarily on the orphans' escape who were mentioned the first part. I also credit **Watanagashi-hen** for his prologue in his upcoming fic, **Lasciva Morbida** and** Beef Monkey** for his **The Pervert, The Officer, The Hero **both of which gave me the conceptual idea for my Kimura horror fic. I forget to give them this credit on the first chapter.

_Think not, O King! thy sceptre or thy power_  
_One moment can arrest the destined hour_

-_Shahmaneh_(The Book of Kings) Iranian National Epic

The clock struck at the appointed hour. Its chime resonating across the dark halls. The four girls slowly and silently got out of their futons. Like wraiths, they paced their steps, careful not to leave a sound on the old creaky boards of the floor. They replaced on the futons large pillows arranged to resemble their former occupants. At one side of the wall Hisako carefully loosened the boards and removed its contents, everything they stole in preparation for their escape: some food from the canteen, supplies from the tool shed, some clothing from the storeroom which Amaya believed were from donations withheld by the personnel, and some notebooks that their 'elder sister', Midori Endo, wanted them to keep before she was taken away by the guards to,some of them feared, where the dreaded Oni-sama stays. She then replaced them back in their original positions. Amaya, the leader, turned to her friends, "Alright, everyone. This is now or never."

"I wish us luck." Said Hisako patting her back.

Then Amaya turned regarded to her two other friends. "Mai, Sora. Are you ready?" The two nodded, their faces showing their determination. "Let's do this!" She whispered. Sora stepped forward and dug into her pocket. She produced a key. She carefully slipped inside the keyhole. A sound broke out! The sound of heavy shoes taking astride on the floor sent the girls in near panic. They scrambled back to their futons and hastily hid their things. The footfall stopped, there was a click and lights began dancing on the crack of the sliding door. He just turned on his flashlight. The girls shuddered as they fear discovery. Then the footsteps began again. They moved on echoing menacingly before fading into the surreal stillness of the night. Amaya counted from one to hundred before she gestured the girls to stand up back again. Sora placed her ear against the wall for a few seconds. She told them, "I think his gone."

"We can't be sure."

Amaya said. She took out a pencil just in case. At that Sora noticed the key was still in the hole. It was a miracle that the man didn't check their room. But she has no time think about that and she turned the key. It gave a short click. It's unlocked. Amaya took out a jar of oil used in household machines. She coolly poured it at the bottom of the door. Then they slowly pushed it away. One by one they tiptoed out and closed it. Wasting not a second they began their tension-filled trek to freedom, Mai taking point. They moved single file along the darkened corridor. They arrived at the stairs. They stalked the steps down to the second floor and went to the corridor. At the first three rooms to their right, the selected the one with the number 203. Amaya tapped it. Then there were two taps in reply.

She whispered to its occupants, "We're here. Don't worry, we'll let you out." She took out the jar once more and poured oil on it. Mai took out a key and unlocked the door. Then they opened it, letting out their co-conspirators: two emaciated boys emerged.

"Amaya, we thought you wouldn't make it." Said one boy, clutching a backpack on his arms.

She replied, "We did, Ryu, but we have no time for that. We have to keep moving."

They closed the door and the party, totaling to six, moved on. They reached the ground floor. The escapees darted to the kitchen before a guard opened the backdoor. That took them by surprise. They recoiled in fear, their frightened feet sending them back to the common hall. They got inside the broom closet and crowded in it. They huddled inside, fearing the terror that awaits them should they fail.

Kenta felt his hair stand on end. He told the others, "He's coming!" And it seemed he was right. The man lumbered towards their hiding place. It seemed like only a matter of time before they get caught. As suddenly as it started, it abated. They were mystified. The man proceeded by them. They opened the door sligthly ajar and saw him walking to the front door. The escapees silently closed the door. "That was close," He sighed with relief.

At the back of the room Sora winced, "This is too much. What should we do?"

"Hush!" Amaya whispered harshly, "We must keep going."

"But what if that guy is waiting for us?" Kenta said worriedly.

It was a good point. They didn't know if he saw them or not. They do, however, made some noise during their rush for a hiding place. While they silently debated their next course of action, Hisoka was tapping her feet in anxiety. She noticed something on the wooden floor she was standing on. It was loose and it sounded hollow. She noticed a crack on it. She said to the others, "Hey, I found something."

"What is it?" Mai asked. Hisoka stepped away and crouched down. She dug her fingers into the crack and tried to pry it. It won't budge.

She called the two boys, "It's stuck. I need help."

"I'll help." Ryu replied stepping forward as he lowered his bag to the floor.

Kenta joined in, "Me too." They dug their fingers and lifted up the seeming large board. It creaked and they realized it was a trapdoor. It was opened all the way. The trapdoor revealed a ladder leading down to some unknown darkness. Everyone looked at it with apprehension. Kenta asked Amaya, "Where do you think it leads too?"

"I don't know but if it leads to the outside, we'll take it." She replied.

Kenta cautioned, "But..."

"No 'buts', we have to take our chances." She turned to Sora, "The flashlight, Sora." Sora produced one from her bag and step forward, clicking it on and shining into the drop below. She turned to the rest of the party, "Who's going first?" Not one of them would step forward for a while. She knew that they are to scared to go down.

"Alright, I'll go first." She finally said. She prepared to enter to the fissure.

But Mai stepped forward. "No. I'll go ahead. You covered my back many times. I want to thank you for everything." Amaya paused. She remembered the few times she took punishment for her friends. Especially for Mai and Hisoka.

She mentally thanked her. She told her, "Okay, we you go first. Kenta, watch the door." Mai stepped into the ladder, steadying herself on the rigid steps. She clambered down cautiously into the darkness. The next to go was Sora, who was getting cold feet as she went in. Amaya shone the flashlight on them to light there way although it could not reveal the bottom of the ladder, baring only inky blackness and letting out dry musty air. They had cold sweat about what they will see down below. It was an eternity before Mai and Sora touched down. Their bare feet touched the cold soft dirt below. Sora took out another flashlight. It was another room, only older and disused. It must have an air raid shelter used during the war. She looked up and made several flashes with her light telling Amaya it's all clear. She turned to everyone else and gestured them to go down. One by one they went down, leaving only Amaya and Kenta at the top. She said to him softly, "Kenta, you go ahead."

"Alright." He quietly answered. He snucked himself into the chasm. Amaya looked around to make sure everything is alright. Finished, she finally went in closing the door on her descent. At was now dark save for the candles that were lit at the bottom at mark it. She looked down and realized just how sheer a drop it was. She couldn't breathe. It was her first time down a ladder and she couldn't move. Her hands became cold and sweaty. Fear held its grip on her heart as she hesitated. She felt her grip was going to slip and that she would plummet to her death. It seemed like a thousand years have passed before an echo from below knocked her back to her senses. Her friends were calling to her from below. She held her breathe and began her descent. The going was at first slow, trying to acquaint herself with the ladder's steps and the entire height of the shaft, its ancient earthen walls brooding over them with unseen abhorrent eyes. When her feet stepped halfway through, she felt something soft. What she felt on her feet was bent. Pliable. It creaked. Regardless, she had to get down to join them.

_SNAP!_

The step broke in half under her weight. Her right hand lost its grip and she let out a short shriek. Some of her friends almost screamed. Mai almost screamed when Ryu and Sora grabbed her and put their hands on her mouth silencing her, keeping them from being compromised. Without thinking, Amaya grabbed the side with both her arms. She held tightly to them. She dangled on the ladder, sucking in air like a trapped fish. She looked down and she almost went dizzy. Her friends are calling out her name. It echoed in her ears for a full minute before she restored her senses. At the bottom Kenta shouted, "Amaya, are you alright!"

She looked down and finally said, "I'm...alright." She inhaled a mouthful of air. She carefully shifted her body like a cat and was back on the ladder. She hesitated again. Her thoughts were conflicting in her mind as she looked down. _It's all my fault! I should have never talk them into this in the first place. If they find us here, we're finished!_ Her mind wept as agonized with regret. Then she remembered Midori's words, _If you could believe in something so strongly that you can feel it, you can find a way to make it come true._ Recalling them gave her back the strength she had when they started it. She wanted to be free and have a good life with her friends. Now she can lead them to freedom. Amaya straightened her back and continued on, making short brisk steps and cautiously watching her footing.

"Amaya, thank God you made it." Mai cried a sigh of relief as Amaya stepped off safely.

"We thought you were a goner." Ryu added.

She assured him. "That's okay. We still have get over the walls. Where are we, anyway?"

The candlelight dimly illuminated the chamber casting shadows that seemed to dance evilly over them on the background, shapes that distort randomly at the candles' flickering flames. In front of them was a wall with chunks of plaster falling from it like dead insects. Kenta felt somewhat frustrated, "Great...we're stuck. How are you gonna get us outta here, Amaya?"

She didn't reply. She looked at the wall, scanning it for any discernible weakness. She noticed a lightning-shaped crack ripped across it. Sora said to her, "I think we can get through it."

"How?" Mai asked.

Sora replied, "Look. There's wood inside the plaster. It's probably weak and rotting. If we pry it apart, we can find another way out."

"That's a great idea-!" Kenta cheered.

But Hisoka silenced him, "Shhh! We have to stay quite."

Everyone dug their fingers in and started clawing the plaster away but not the wood. They barely scratched it. Sora looked to her right and find a heavy plank of wood.

She raised and told her friends, "Stand back."

They did. She crashed the business end into the wooden wall. It yielded to the blows of her makeshift club banging loudly in the chamber. It created a small gap to which everyone lost no time tearing it apart. They were able to make an opening big enough for them to crawl in. Kenta went in first and was greeted by the sight of school uniforms hanging above him, shone by the lights of the candles.

"Hey everyone, look at this." He pointed to all of the school uniforms inside the room. Everyone had just emerged from the hole and we're astonished by the amount of school uniforms inside. All of them for girls. Amaya got back out and killed the candles. When she got back, everyone was shining lights on the rather odd collection. What is it doing here?

"This is strange," said Sora, "I never seen anything like this."

"And scary," Hisoka whimpered. The sight of of so many sailor uniforms in one place is something that would both baffle and disturb them. The flashlight illuminated the door.

Mai absentmindedly asked, "Where does this door lead to?"

"Who knows," Ryu said brashly, "It'll take us one step closer to get out of this dump-"

But Amaya cut him off, "Hold it. Look down." They did and they saw dim light emanating from the bottom of the door. She was right. Everyone seemed to shiver at that point.

"We're in trouble. What should we do?" Kenta fretted, frightened out of his wits. He felt his heart sink to the ground.

Amaya said to everyone, "We're already gone this far. We can't turn back. It's now or never."

Everyone braced themselves for whatever lay ahead of it. She twisted the cold brass knob. The door got lose. She budged it and everyone had a sight they will never forget: The room was lit by an anemic lightbulb suspended in the air and swaying slightly. They also saw ropes hanging on hooks at the walls. But there something caught their eye: at one side of the room is a row of cages. They were box-like wooden frames that are no bigger than a safe. The front and sides are meshed with chicken wire, their hexagonal latticework crisscrossing the facades of the pens. There was a figure that lay prostrate inside the center cage. The children felt there hairs stand on end at the sight of that thing obscured by shadow.

"What is that? Is it dead?" Sora asked, her voice betrayed her horror and the flashlight in her hand trembled.

Amaya slowly, "I don't...know. We have to check it. Shine some light on it, Sora." Sora did as she was told. The light revealed a girl with disheveled hair and a crumpled sailor uniform covering her body loosely. Their hearts waned in anguish as they knew at once who the wretched figure is - it was Midori Endo.

"Heavens no! It's Nee-chan!" Hisoka exclaimed with horror. "What happened to her?" Then they noticed her arm stirred. She raised her head and looked at them.

She croaked, "Hisoka...what are...you doing here?"

"We're going to escape, Nee-chan," Amaya said sadly.

Then she comforted her, "Don't wory, we'll get you out of here." Midori rose to kneeling position, her hair wildly promiscuously covering her face like a banshee.

She spoke slowly to Amaya, "Amaya, you can't get out of here. You need to get the key from that room." She pointed to the door. The leader of the band noticed that she had rope marks on her wrists.

"There?" Amaya asked with apprehension.

Midori added with caution, "Oni-sama sleeps inside." Those very words seemed to have turn the entire room cold. Everyone shuddered.

"Oh my God!" Kenta muttered. They all murmured with fright.

But Amaya quieted them. She said to her, "I'll go get the key." It was an insane proposal.

"Don't go, Amaya. It's too dangerous." Mai warned her, holding her friend's arm as if to restrain her from entering the horrifying chamber.

The leader turned to her. "We promised ourselves that we would get outta here. We will make it. Trust me."

She looked at Midori, she hung her head like slave, almost from some sort of heinous degradation. Amaya's fear for the Oni-sama turned to hate. Hate for whatever unspeakable ordeal he put her through. To her, he wasn't a monster anymore but a bastard who deserves the most cruel punishment that exist in this world. She made a move for the door. She stopped in front of it and placed her against it. She could hear snoring from it. She hesitated. The girl put her hand on the knob and slowly twisted it. The door opened and she entered. Now, Amaya is in the den of the beast. The room before her consisted of a desk with a lamp on it, a table with a chair, and a bed with its occupant: the very beast at his slumber. Amaya walked slowly spreading her feet with every step to keep the noise down. She approached the desk and slowly searched the drawers. She found inside some condoms, some money, and other things but no keys. She pocketed the money with the forethought of needing at some later time. She made her way on the table. There was nothing on it, nothing on the chair and nothing under them. There is only one place left to search. She shuddered as she approached the man known as Oni-sama. She went to the bed, the heavy snoring made it seemed that he was really a beast. She cautiously slipped her hand in under the blankets The man stirred. Amaya quickly hid under the bed. She heard a grunt. The bed rocked and and there was again snoring.

She muttered under her breath, "That was close."

She crept out from under carefully and continued to her task. Amaya took out a smaller flashlight and and lifted the covers. It was a sight to shudder the soul. In front her lay a large pulsating body of a man in boxers. He rolled over to his left showing his back at her. She shuddered and hesitated. The beast later settled down. Amaya pushed on. She climbed over the edge of the bed and crouched on all fours. From there she approached him and carefully slipped her hand into the boxer's back pocket. He stirred a bit and grunted loudly. She ceased briefly fearing the worst. When it was certain he would not wake up she pressed on. She felt a something ductile and metallic. She found the keys. She slowly got out of the bed and out the door.

Her friends closed the door behind her. They fumbled on which key would open the door and cage. They finally found out which. The party unlocked the cage and the door. Amaya and Kenta help Midori out. The escapees were heart broken when they saw her stand up. Her blouse was torn open at the front, revealing the front of body. The skirt was rumpled as though from some hard struggle. There were rope marks on her hands and feet. She walked rather limply and her face bore silent testimony of her unspeakable suffering in that horrid chamber. They fed her some of their provisions.

"I never believed you would pull this off." Midori started quietly.

"We did. You should have seen us." Amaya stated, "We still have to complete the escape. Can you walk?"

"Yes." She answered.

"Good. Okay, everyone. This is the last step of our escape. Let's not make any mistakes this time."

* * *

The party cut the wire fence slowly with some heavy duty wirecutters. They made a hole big enough to get through. Amaya exclaimed silently, "It's open!"

"Hey!" A shout rang out from behind. Some light shone on them. They froze on the spot. A guard looked angrily at them. He shouted again as he took out his nightstick, "What hell are you doing?"

Midori quickly flung hard a heavy rock she was holding at him with both hands. The rock made contact with his face and struck his nose causing a sickening crack of the bones. He fell on the ground. Another guard came out and shouted for his colleagues to move. Everyone made it out of the hole. One guard dove to the ground and grabbed Sora's legs. She squealed. The man grinned like a shark, "Gotcha!" He muttered.

A large plank brutally smacked in his jaw with a crunch. He let go of his grip as he staggered back.

Midori, who was covering there exit, dropped the plank and picked Sora up, "Let's go!"

Sora stood up and ran with her held hands together. Everyone rushed into the nearby woods with all the speed they could muster. Mai is in the lead and everyone behind her followed to wherever she was going as she knew the way. They dare not look behind for they are afraid they would freeze up in fright if they do. The adrenalin shot their systems full in fear making their legs more powerful than they should be. The guards frantically shouted orders and directions to each other were not far off and are rapidly gaining on them. Deeper and deeper into the darkness the party whisked forth remained as close together as possible so they do not scatter and get lost. The ground pricked their bare feet and twigs cut their legs but the pain they felt is nothing to what they will expect if they get caught. They climbed over gnarled twisted roots, dodged low-lying branches, and remained very close to each other as close as possible.

Mai shifted heading and they entered the darker and heavily sylvan part of the woods whose bowels are sparsely frequented by human folk and sojourned only by animals that lived in it since time immemorial. Everyone was hindranced by the woody branches but made headway. Sora, however, lagged behind the rest of them. The fringes of her skirt is torn by the underbush. Suddenly, a woody branch ensnared her feet. She let out a shriek as she shot forward almost falling to the ground, pirouetting her arms wildly to maintain her balance before she tottered on her back. The concussion knocked her on the head and she almost blacked out.

The buffeting numbed her perception and her constitution almost at the edge of slipping into torpor. She looked through her blurry vision a figure seeming to wallow over her. Sora could make of its face in the darkness. The ambiance seemed to echo around her as the figure shone light on her. She was paralyzed, her limbs couldn't move. It was a guard and he was gloating over her. She felt a powerful kick on her chest knocking the wind out of her and rolled her over belly flat, her head ramming a tree root. Then a boot crashed on her back and she whelped in pain. The man let out a grin that was very evil.

Her hearing filled with ringing echoes she heard him, "_Stupid brat! We'll teach you a lesson for trying to escape._"

He lifted her by the collar of her dress. It seemed like the end. She coughed blood. She felt defeated and dejected, knowing she was going to experience even worser hell than before. A figure suddenly darted out of the bushes in front of her. There was a thud before she faded out of consciousness. She opened her eyes and saw a tall lanky figure in a torn sailor uniform repeatedly bashing the helpless figure lying the ground, with raised arms vainly shielding him from the large piece of wood punishing him mercilessly. The figure raised her wooden club even higher. It crashed with an ear-splitting _braaak_! However, all throughout the scene that played before her eyes, all she saw was blurred distorted figures moving in slow and fluid motion, the echoes muffled in the stark moonlight night. Her mind remained foggy, no doubt from the concussion a while earlier and the slight beating she received plus her present state of mind.

The final stroke came and out came a pain-ridden howl that sounded halfway from human to animal. The howl curdled her blood. The man slumped lifelessly. Then the figure slow turned with club in hand. At such hideous sight her foggy mind slowly went awake and tried to coax the rest of the body to move but its only response is her hard breathing. The figure got closer seeming to kill her. She couln't move. She knew the worst is to come and hope it went away. She get just hear heavy breathing. A moment later it vanished.

She opened her eyes. Everything seemed misty to her. She could see figures standing around a fire in a dark chamber. Her mind, it seemed, wanted to go back to sleep.

"Hey, everyone! Look! Sora's awake!" Rang one of them. The voice caused her to be fully aware. She tried to stand but a soothing hand grasped arm.

"Rest, Sora. You were badly injured back there." She realized it was Midori, her soft voice radiated calm. She laid her head back on the pillow that she did not notice on her waking. She rolled her head slighlty and spoke.

"Yes, Midori onee-chan," she looked at her with eyes that seemed very innocent. She looked at Midori. Her 'elder sister' gave a smile that was both calmed and bouyed her mood to an unexplainable sensation. She does not what it was but it seemed to caress her as soothing as the night wind. She continued, "Nee-chan?"

Midori regarded her, "Yes?"

"Thank you for saving me." She smiled and closed her eyes. Midori stroked her hand on her head gently.

"I will always be there for you. I will protect till the the very end," she whispered to her. The other children are getting ready for breakfast

"You know, we're lucky to have escape but where do we go from here?" Kenta asked as the cold wind blew into the large and small openings of the ancient derelict house that they are taking refuge in. He bit into his food slowly and took a chunk.

"I don't know...but I least don't have to stay there for the rest of my life," she said firmly as she held more tightly the blanket around her body.

"But we have no family or friends to go to. Who is gonna help us?" Mai winced as fidgeted her feet. She shivered from the cold. Midori joined them and took a seat on an empty spot near Amaya.

"Oh, Midori onee-chan. Wanna join us?" Amaya asked.

"Yes," she timdily replied as she took some food from the bowl. Her face shone in the crackling fire.

Rin then asked her, "What about you, Nee-chan? Do you have family?"

Midori replied slowly, "I don't but my parents told me about some family friend before they died. We''ll go to them." She turned to Hisoka, her face downcast and her eyes watery.

"What's wrong, Hisoka?" She asked putting her arm on her shoulders.

Hisoka turned. She then spoke to her softly and uneasily, "Nee-chan, I'm worried about the others. We escaped while they stayed behind. I feel we left them."

"We won't live them behind, Hisoka. They will not have to stay long in there," she reassured her. Both of them embraced each other tightly.

Amaya suddnly recalled something. She took out one of the notebooks from a bag. She then asked her, "Nee-chan? Tell me what's the notebook us?" She showed the notebook to her.

"I'm going to give this to them when when they come here," she took the notebook into her hands, "We're going to be safe with them. The good thing is we're all together. And that you are my family." Her lips widened with a smile. Everyone smiled too, their spirits raised once more in determination. Outside, the sun casted its rays from the horizon ready to start a new day. A new hope.

* * *

The last part would come soon. Thanks for reading and don't forget to review.


	3. Lust Begets Death

**Prologue Arc: Lust Begets Death  
**

This is the final part of the prologue arc. Here is my first sex scene so it would feel awkward at some places. And everything else would be more disturbing. Special thanks again to **Hwikek**, **Miz-KTakase**, **Solarius Scorch**, and to **Liber-T.E.A**. This is for **Elred Bluegreen**. I will start work on the story proper soon.

_Then when lust has conceived, it brings forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, brings forth death._

-James 1:15

"...they're like the sweetest apples on the top of the tree. Almost tantalizing. But I cannot savor them because society loathes my actions. Damn them. I see people who are praised as upright and cavort with whores in bar rooms and bring mistresses to their beds. I've heard stories of kidnappings and sadism but no one lifts a finger to look into such matters. There are people who never practice what they preach but expect others to uphold those so-called 'moral standards'. Typical hypocrisy. Why should I be any different? Is there an imperative need to conform? Morality is only a matter of perspective." He confessed to the radio, distaste and cynicism reverberating from his voice.

The radio whispered in reply, "_I see... You are rather unfortunate... It is not my place...to judge a man by his virtues... I never choose the next hand to possess me..._"

"But one more thing," Endaka said warily, "Are you sure that nothing bad is going to happen to me? If you grant my wish, there has to be a catch. There must be."

"_Again... I harbor no ill will nor do I desire your demise... And I never question your morals... My only exigency is...no regrets..._"

"I'm ready to receive. Give me my pleasure." He cheered like a child eagerly awaiting a sweetmeat as a prize. There was a slight rustling of cool air. It was not a dreaded cold wind but rather a gentle breeze caressing his body. Something is happening. The machine is right! Everything was going in his favor. Now it would only be a matter of time before his wish was granted. He felt his blood rush through his veins in ecstasy. The night seemed to have lasted for days in a silence ocean deep when the doorbell rang... He stood up slowly.

The radio told him, "_It is...for you..._"

He smiled like sunshine at those words. Avidity surged through him as he tidied up the room. He turned off his computer and printer and picked up the pictures that fell on the floor. He put them inside and arranged his bed. Like a monk rejoicing in revelation he rushed out of his room to receive his caller; it took a lot of restraint to get him to modulate his pace to a stroll. Endaka slowly approached the door. He opened it and his suspicions were happily confirmed: in front of him stood a high school girl, no more than fourteen or fifteen years of age. She had purplish blue hair with bangs falling a few inches from her shoulder. She wore, of course, a school uniform with white shoes and black socks that reached up to her knees. She had a nice bust size, neither big nor flat, just ample enough for him.

"Good evening," Endaka greeted her trying to keep his composure with some effort. The girl looked around the room. He anxiously waited for an answer.

"Good evening," The girl replied timidly. She looked at him with wide innocent eyes. He tried his best not to smile to widely and not to be overly courteous. He didn't want to frighten her.

"What brings you here?" He asked. The girl blushed, she was too embarrassed to speak. "You could come inside if you want." The girl nodded slowly. She walked inside slowly and he closed the door behind her. He guided her to the kitchen. Endaka helped her to her seat and gave her a glass of water.

"I'm sorry if I disturbed you, sir." She meekly rebuked, sipping her glass.

"Oh don't worry. I'm not mad. What's your problem anyways? I'm all ears." He assured her.

"Alright. You see I live alone in an apartment. My parents died when I was young. I have some relatives but I don't really consider them family so I make ends meet for myself in high school. Tonight I was going home by train until I realized I got off at the wrong destination. I tried to get home but I had no money for the fare. I was so worried. I don't know what to do. I heard about you while I was walking past a convenience store from some of your employees. I decided to go to your house since you're the only person I think I can turn to for the moment."

The man felt sympathetic for the girl. He said to her, "I have a car. Maybe I can take you back to your apartment."

"Really? Thank you very much." She stood up and bowed. Endaka took the glasses and put them in the sink. He and the girl went outside to the car.

* * *

The road was full of late night motorists and the sidewalk was crowded with people. The entire city seemed abloom with lights from everywhere. _'Bright lights of the big city' indeed_, Endaka thought from the driver's seat. Sitting next to him is, of course, the girl who was looking out through the window longingly. He smiled.

Keeping his eyes on the road, he asked her, "You have a part time job?"

"Yes, I do. I work part time in a cafe and at a bookstore. Things are always hard with school projects and the rent, but I manage."

_Poor girl_, he thought. He then thought of another question. He asked her again, "You have any friends?"

"I do… but I don't take the time to talk to them a lot. I'm just focused on getting everything done."

Endaka chuckled a little, "You don't know what you're missing. Friends spice up your life. They make it interesting. You also have to slow down a little to enjoy the scenery, you know." The girl smiled a little. She looked at the cosmopolitan lights that made the city come alive. They came to a stop at an intersection where a red light signaling for traffic to stop. Endaka pulled the brakes, he thought of another question. He was going to ask her if she had a boyfriend. He wanted to know if she had any sort of relationship much closer than friends and family. He felt a bit tense. It was a personal question after all and he feared the girl would be suspicious of him. That his question would be answered with another question and what would follow would be an inquiry with each succession of questions probing into deeper into his skin until the truth is pried out like a stubborn carbuncle opened with a hot steak knife.

It was going against his instincts; he never made deep relationships with anybody. He was good natured with his peers back at the Middle East but he was never had any girlfriend for reasons he made up. He doesn't talk much about his life with his colleagues back there. Now here he is with a girl that the radio granted to him, or so it seems. All of this is too good to be true. It was the first time since his days at that mud hole orphanage did he really got a chance to get laid with a girl this young. But then again, this was something he would never want to wake from; it is an opportunity all too hard to pass up. The light turned green and he got the car moving again. It's going to be the last stop until they reach her apartment.

It was a now or never moment for him. If the girl doesn't take too kindly to his question, he would blow this chance but he had to know if she really had a boyfriend. For one thing, he is jealous if any girl he would have potentially met has some sort of male liaison. And two, whether she were two-timing or not, having someone close to her like that is like having an arrest warrant sticking to his ass, since he is still a fugitive. He paused. He decided to ask the question. He took a deep breath.

"Pardon my intrusion. Do you have any boyfriend?" He asked her. The girl was slightly puzzled. She turned to him slowly.

"No, I don't have any, sir." She answered. She then continued, "I'm sorry if I didn't introduce myself correctly. My name is Sayuri Himuro."

Endaka smiled and answered, "Oh, my name's Takeo Endaka."

"It never occurred to me to have a boyfriend. I'm always alone at my apartment doing stuff." There was a pause. She finally said with a faint smile, "Would you like to stay with me tonight?"

The very words struck him like lightning. These were the words he wanted to hear in one form or another but he never would have expected to come out from her, at least not this easily. He mentally thanked the radio for this. Indeed, that radio only required him to never regret its blessing.

"Yes, I wouldn't mind stay with you tonight," He calmly answered. He curbed his inner enthusiasm so as not alarm her. He made a turn to the right.

"Thank you so much, Endaka-san. I thought you would object if I ask for that." She blushed.

"Ah, that's nothing; I don't go out with people that often. And I kinda live all by my self at home."

The girl smiled, "I don't mind. There's a first time for everything." Endaka made another turn of the wheel to a street that would take them to a far more tranquil and less crowded part of the city.

* * *

At this time, the night was dark and deathly silent save for the almost-nil chirping of crickets and harsh white lights of lamp posts, the apartment seemed to sit idly in a sea of placidity, the kind where time moves slowly to the delight of the ever-weary city dweller. The neighborhood surrounding the four-storied building lay in a blanket of silence. Endaka didn't expect this. There had to be some sign of life like a car pulling over at one of the houses or the odd homeowner taking out the trash this late. In his watch it is already eleven p.m. It just felt a little odd as he and the girl walked to the building.

"Is it always like this?" Endaka asked her. The chill of the night had crept under his clothes and he is feeling the nip.

"Only right now, everyone in the neighborhood is asleep and most of the boarders are out for tonight." She answered.

"How 'bout your landlord? Wouldn't he find it odd that you're going home with a grown man?"

"Don't worry. He's just a nice old man who doesn't bother me much."

"Huh?" He was perplexed by that.

"At the fourth floor I live next to a rather unruly group of boys who sometimes made loud noises at night. He would sometimes mistake my room for theirs." She explained. They continued walking until they reached the front of the building. They opened the door. The lobby has only an old man sitting in his desk watching from a portable TV.

"Good evening, Mr. Oruki," Sayuri greeted.

"Good evening, Miss Himuro," the old man replied without turning his face away from the tube, "it's late already and you know how dangerous the streets are at this time."

"It's alright. I'm still in one piece." She replied.

"That's good. Good night." The man concluded. His eyes are still focused on the screen. Endaka walked with hesitant steps, half glancing at the man. This Oruki fellow did not seemed a wee bit perturbed by his presence. He walked quietly, neither too silent nor too heavy. The man seemed to have his eyes glued to the tube, and the TV's volume is turned up high enough to echo throughout the room. The noise is quite loud. Sayuri turned around and gestured him to move on. Reminded, he proceeded. They walked up a flight of stairs. The noise of the TV seemed to emanate through the walls from the desk of that old man. It seemed eerie, especially since the girl told him that almost everyone is out for the night at this hour. Walking up the stairs he noticed that some of the lights are dim and anemic. Some of them flickered occasionally. _Maybe Mr. Oruki needs some new lights_, he mused.

They've reached the fourth floor. The din of the TV seemed far away but can still be heard from below. Before them is a corridor with rooms on either side. Unlike the small lobby on the ground floor and the stairs, the place was completely dark as if someone had turned off the lights there. The girl shut the door leading to the stairs. The place is finally silent. Deathly silent. _Weird_, he thought. Then they proceeded. Along the corridor are rooms on either side. Excitement was mounting inside of him as they walked together to her room. To him it was hours before they stand in front of the room.

"We're here." she quitely cheered, "hope it wasn't much trouble for you, Endaka-san." They are now standing in front of her room: Room 409.

"No, no, Miss Himuro, there's no trouble for me." He replied. She dug into her pocket and extracted a key. She slipped it in. The mechanism chinked. She pulled it out and turned the knob.

"It's open," Sayuri chimed. They both walked inside. The room wasn't much and it was made to serve only necessary functions. It had a bed, a table, and two chair. There is a desk with some book, mainly manga and textbooks. There is a cabinet at the back made of particle board. The girl was quite tidy as the bed was well arranged. There is a balcony with a washing machine outside. It's separated from the rest of the room by a glass screen with a door. The screen was dressed with simple curtains. The room's walls are berefit of any decorations. Not even a boyband poster. But it does not worry him that much. The room is, after all, tidy and presentable. It smelled pleasant too. She must be have been a good girl and by her story if it was true, she didn't give a fig about what people around her think. She turned to the desk to switch on the lamp. She placed her bag on the table and sat down on her bed. She then took off her shoes and put on her slippers. She then turned her head to the man, who seemed to be staring into space.

"Um, Endaka-san, what are you thinking?" Sayuri asked him as she sat on the bed.

Snapped out of his revelry, he turned to her, "Uh, nothing. I'm just thinking about your room. Everything's so clean and tidy here," he chuckled embarrassingly.

"You know what, Endaka-san? I've never felt anything like this. Something's always missing when I'm here. I just didn't realize it until today. Thanks for keeping me company."

"It's okay with me. Do you have a cot where I can sleep on?" He asked.

"No," Sayuri a little embarrassed, "I don't. I'm sorry I didn't prepare for something like this."

"I...see..." Endaka himself got a little embarrassed. He came here ready for action and now he's caught in an awkward position. He should have known to prepare beforehand for this.

"That's alright. If it's okay with you...we could share the bed." She suggested to him. Endaka was taken aback by those words. These very words sounded to him too frank, too naive.

"Uh... what?" He smiled a bit feigning some slight surprise.

"The bed's big enough for the both of us. And I have a special little request for you." His ears could not deceive him. He was simply overwhelmed by his disbelief. His mind restrained on the need of caution, _I don't want to scare this girl. One wrong step and it's all over for me now... Screw this! The radio would hate me for throwing away this opportunity! I'm gonna do this broad!_

He asked her with a smile, "What's that?"

"The thing is that I've never felt the touch of someone. And that I'm always alone here not realizing it until you asked if I had a boyfriend. You see, I don't one. I never really got a chance to ask them out. I just sort of closed myself to things like love and stuff. I feel in any case, it wouldn't work out well for me. But now your here, I'd like to show my gratitude by sharing the same bed with you."

Without any hesitation, he sat next to her. The girl simply said, "Let's begin."

She climbed on to his lap. She sat on it with his arms around her. Endaka felt fire inside him. He put her arms around her waist and began stroking her arms. She cooed playfully, "This feels a little clumsy. Let's lie down."

"Good idea," He agreed and they lay down, him on top and the girl underneath. Their lips meet and kissed slowly, their tongues hungrily probing the contours of their mouths and savoring each other's lusts. They writhed together passionately with his hands feeling her buttocks through the back, and up to the back of her head. This is only the appetizer; the rest of the meal has still yet to come. Instinctively, they sat upright again. He began licking her neck and face; she moaned slightly. He smoothed his hand on her belly, feeling the suppleness of her flesh beneath the fabric of her blouse. He stroked her several times and slowly progressed to her breast. The sounds of their mutual lovemaking broke through the stillness of the night air.

His hand cupped one breast while his other hand went down to the thighs. Yes, those thighs his creamy smoothness had felt sent electricity throughout his body. His hand stroked her thighs and she could her ecstatic breathing heightened. Sayuri put one hand over the hand cupping her left bosom and began massaging her breast with it while his other ceased the stroking hand and guided it the her right bosom. Repositioning his hands to form an X cupping both, he fondled them circularly, his lips sucking the girl even more hungrily. It was at first slow, deliberate, intending to taste with touch. Then he increased the pace, rubbing them impulsively as his touch could not get enough of it. He felt his pants bulge. She felt it and cooed lustily, her breathing acclimated to new heights. Then she let out a shrill cry. She had reached a higher heaven of carnality and lay down with heavy breathing. They had ceased.

For that brief amount of time they paused. Endaka looked at her and commented, "Wow! That was wonderful!" His breathing still heaving from their shared debauchery.

"I like it... I really do," she answered. She lay on the bed for a while. She whispered a few phrases to him. He nodded with lecherous glee. She lay on her back again and he stood up. He unbuckled his belt and tossed it aside. He was undoing his pants, his hands a little shaky with excitement when a piece of paper slid of one of the pockets. Endaka and Sayuri quickly glanced at the stray object. His eyes widened with surprise as it slid across the floor.

"What's that?" Sayuri asked a bit wearily as she turned her head to look at it. Endaka got up and hurriedly pick it up.

"Nothing, Sayuri. It's just a piece of paper that I-" But it slipped again. This time it floated on the bed. He was instantly paralyzed. He could not think of what to do the next split second as it landed on her chest. _Oh shit,_ he thought.

"Endaka-kun, what's this?" She took it and had a glance. It was a chaotic classroom scene set in a culture festival. The students are milling about their business but the shot is focused on seven girls: the shortest had red hair with pigtails and a sunny smile; the tallest was busty, raven haired-beauty with sad eyes; one girl with glasses on seemed to rage at another, who seemed very annoying in the picture; standing beside the long-haired one is a girl with short hair and a cute appearance and another with shorter boyish hair. Behind the redhead is a girl, also with short hair, having a somewhat muscular body. At another part of the picture are two women and one other figure, presumably teachers. One had long wavy hair and looked like a party girl. The other had short hair and smiled modestly. The man, she judged by the shirt and tie, has his face obscured.

"Ah, well you see- Um- I-I-I could explain that-" He stammered whatever he could say as his extreme worry and embarassment hijacked his reasoning.

"Please calm down, Endaka-kun. There's nothing to afraid of." She gestured him to pacify him. "It's alright. I know this was taken in a culture fest." His body's emotional stood down and breathed at what may be a sigh of relief. Although he hesitated for a few seconds, he finally spoke.

"Yeah, it is. It was quite fun then. I took a break from work back then and I came there by chance. It was a wonderful time. My only regret was there no one else with me. I took pictures of it, however, so I was able to show it my friends."

Sayuri looked at the part of the snapshot where that face was obscured. It seemed it was done by a drop of liquid eraser. She looked at him and asked, "Who's this person? The one without a face."

Endaka had a slight frown. He slowly took the photograph from her and began, "You see, this fellow here is a teacher. Kimura. This guy has achieved a reputation in school as a pervert."

"A pervert?"

"Yeah, he seems to enjoy peeping at high-school girls. According to some of the stories surrounding him, he became a high-school teacher just to get close to them."

"He _'observes'_ them," he added distastefully, "He makes excuses to just to look at them. Even coming as far as joining them in their swimming class."

The girl seemed worried, "Gosh. Does the school take note of him and his... antics?"

"I don't know what kind of institution would hire him and then keep him in his post despite all that. You know that the most unusual thing is that the boys admire this guy. They say he was being sincere when he admitted that. I bet they kept him from losing his job." However, he left the part that made him seething with envy such as how he got to see them everyday.

"I guess that's why you smeared his face," she noted, "You don't like this guy 'cause he harms girls that way. I'd be angry too if with a pervert like that. Even more if the place where he works still keeps him there." She let out a sad face. Endaka looked at her. He sensed that he may have encountered these freaks.

"Are you okay?" He asked softly. The girl gripped the edges of her blanket. She hung her head a little.

"I encounter those kinds of people everyday. In school. During my part time jobs. Even when I go home. You see, the thing about having parents is that you feel safe and sound with them. They will always protect you from anything. Not so for me. I'm always alone ever since they died. In this apartment you may feel safe but... there is no one around you to confort you when you're alone and vunerable. I sometimes feel that I don't want to venutre outside because that." Tears well in her eyes. She was quite as the grave.

Endaka placed her arms around her in comforting embrace. "There, there. I may not know what it's like to be in your shoes but I certainly know how it feels." He wiped them water away from her eyes.

Her hands touched her arms. "I'm sorry if I was not honest the first time we met. I just couldn't think of anything else then."

"That's alright. We don't want to burden each other with untold baggage do we?" He assured her.

She smiled again, "Thank you, Endaka-san." The two looked at each other face-to-face. In the moonlight, there is no doubt that the passions in their hearts are resurfacing again. Endaka felt a little good about himself. This girl really wanted some love. And some poppin'. He'll give both and it wouldn't be too hard since he's doing her a favor.

"Ready for another go?" He asked her, his words sounding as if his savoring their taste.

"I am." She answered softly, stroked his back seductively. He put one hand over her back and crept another beneath her blouse. He slid under her bra and felt her breasts. The soft suppleness of her virginal mounds excited him further, he started rubbing it slowly around and on the nipples, the girl began to whimper slightly, the sensation setting her body afire. Now the rubbing is getting faster and faster, her moaning pitched a little as well. Then he nudged his against her cheeks and began kissing her. Then their lips once again, their tongues making reentry and clashing harder.

They stopped their oral adventure but they still stare at each other's faces. She could see the fire in her eyes. He gazed at her but he was not seeing at the moment of climaxing passion. Only a moment now before he could taste the fruits of her innocence.

But his hand felt something different. The soft flesh he was rubbing suddenly felt flaky. Dry. Another part felt like cold and loose like old paint. Moreover, 'neath it is a pulpy sensation similar to bananas left to ripen on their own for too long. Plus there was the feeling of something hard beneath this... pulp. Cold sweat gushed out from the pores of his body, totally paralyzed in uncertainty. He felt the shivering pass of an icy mountain draft. His eyes darted throughout the room, trying to ascertain the source of the draft. The walls are not thin and lack any seams for air to pass. The windows and doors are shut; the only air conditioning they have is an electric fan. A sickly sweet smell then filled the room, assailed his nostrils and putting fear in him. Trembling, he took his hands out of the blouse. He took his hands slowly out of the blouse. In the scant light of the moon seeping into the window, he could see what was clinging to his hands: a thin sickly epicarp of disgusting color, partly cracked and dry; partly peeled and damp.

His eyes widened in fright as he put his hands away. He saw Sayuri, wretchedly decayed in such a way that she seemed to be experiencing several stages of decomposition at once. Her body had a hideous hue of greenish black with varying shades of it in different parts of the body. Some parts seemed to be dry while others are wet, damp and cold. Maggots and other numerous cadaverous creatures skittle all over the body like a sort of metropolis, some flitting and emerging through tiny gaps in it. He could see her clothes are torn and ragged. From her ripped blouse her putrescent abdomen was open, revealing the contents of her innards, what used to be various organs that functioned for her during the days of a life that had ceased so long ago. He lifted his head to look at the face of his lover. Her face was dried and rugosed at one part of it. Another festered with revolting decay, clearly wet and hideous. A part of the skin is missing and he could see graying and thinned-out muscles, oozing with fluids that reeked of rotten meat. But her eyes had held him the most. They were partly rotten but still basically intact. They are dead and lifeless yet they pierced into his soul.

"Endaka," she croaked, "what are you waiting for?" Her dead mouth moved liked a loose marionette. Endaka could not answer this repellent entity that was before him. Turmoil gripped his mind as it sought to analyze everything he saw, felt, smelled and heard in the room quickly so he could know whether to flee and what to do but none was forthcoming. He was too terrified to make a move yet. He could hear his heart beating wildly.

Sayuri... blinked. She began to approach him, causing her body to creak and grate audibly. She sat up and crouched. The mattress, now a ragged and dirt-stained pad with springs sticking out, rasped with her bony limbs. She extended a bony arm, decayed skin hanging loosely from it, to caress him. Time almost froze as his heartbeats became louder.

_Dokun, dukon, dukon, dukon, dukon... dukon... dukon... dukon... dukon..._ _DUKON!... DUKON!... DUKON!_

Her decrepit hand is less than an inch away from his face.

"AAAARRRRGGGHHHH!" He screamed. His adrenaline-infused body came to life as he quickly pushed her off the bed. Sayuri fell of the bed with a shriek and light_ crack!_ He stumbled off and raced for the door. He turned the knob quickly but it would not budge.

"Shit!" He muttered as he struggled to open it. He turned and pulled as hard as he could. The door did not yield. He could not budge it. He began kicking it frantically to open, hoping it caved in so could escape from this horrible hallucination.

He heard her cry, "Endaka! Why did you hit me!" It wasn't in the in dead croaky voice he heard earlier but in the voice of the Sayuri he heard a while ago. Alive and sad. Endaka was instantly flooded with memories. Her cries took him back to the orphanage, to its basement where he held 'correction sessions' with its more troublesome wards and was once known as Oni-sama. He recalled vividly his sadistic glee when he beaten up boys. And that time when girls where sent to him to be disciplined: the brand he kept specially in reserve for them. Yes, he sometimes had to beat them and even drug them as a last resort to make them behave so he could put those sailor uniforms on them. And he relished the sounds of tearing them apart when he raped them and the moans and squeals they give out. It was a very good time for him until those delinquents escape that house and everything blew over. He remembered one of the lessons he gave to one of them.

* * *

The girl trembled in fear as the terrible Oni-sama stood in front of her. The room's darkness covered his face while the lightbulb illuminated the object of his perversity, a young girl of no more than thirteen years of age. The girl wept and pleaded disparately, "Please... please... I won't steal any more food from the kitchen..."

"That won't work on me. I'm here to teach you a few lessons and you'll learn it the moment you step out of this room," he growled. He held her by the neck. She whelped sharply as he slapped her several times. He then casted her roughly to the floor. The girl cried helplessly as she laid them. He then grinned, "Time for Lesson No. 2: Obedience."

The girl could not answer, confused and afraid of what might come next. He slowly turned his back and and unlocked a trunk. It creaked as he opened it and picked up a blouse and skirt: components of a sailor uniform. He got around and threw before her. Then whispered a command, "Wear it."

"W-what?" The girl asked meekly. She rose up a little. Then a hard slap landed on her face. Her head fell back on the floor.

"Wear it!" He raised his voice gutturally. She let out a frightened gasp. The sound turned him on.

She managed to ask him in a shaky voice, "C-can I please change somewhere else? I can't-"

"You do exactly what I say and don't ask anymore!" He cut her off. The girl stood up shakily. She removed her dress and put on the uniform. She felt so embarrassed doing it in front somebody besides her friends. As she weakly buttoned the blouse up, she looked at him with terror, the obscured face she could not see to decipher his intent. The man said to her, "Now that you're dressed, I will show you to my pet. His waiting for you." The tone was a little shaky and that didn't bode well for her. The man roughly grabbed her wrist and half-dragged her to a door next to him. She futilely whimpered as he opened the door and threw her into a dingy bed. The man took a foil packet from his pocket. He undid his pants and so forth. The girl knew something is not right and she tried to get off the bed but the man grabbed her and covered her mouth with a strong hand.

"Hey, leaving so soon? The fun's just about get started!" The now nude Oni-sama stated lecherously as he tied a piece of cloth on her mouth to muffle her screams. He then pinned her to the bed and forced his weight on top of the helpless girl.

* * *

Those memories filled him with neither regret nor wicked nostalgia but with great fear. The fear that his past had caught up with him. And took appearance in his unnatural craving of teenage girls in uniform. The flashback is over and he could see the room had changed in appearance. It now appeared wrecked, rubble strewn across the floor and the walls had holes in most places with loose wallpaper hanging from it. Pieces of plaster fell of the ceiling and water dripped from it as well. The door leading to the balcony is splintered and the glass screen was shattered with shards of dirty glass scattered about in front of it. The furniture was destroyed and everything was hauntingly desolate. It reeked of death.

The rotted corpse stood up unsteadily, bones grated audibly and organs slopped sickeningly. She creaked itself as if to realign disjointed parts in its body. She began pacing to him slowly like a toddler making a first step on its own.

The curtains of the room fluttered wildly in a breeze casting a sinister spectacle of light and shadow on Sayuri. She moved like a poorly-manipulated puppet hanging loosely on its strings. Her body grated louder, adding to his distress. The cold wind swept against him. He could take it anymore. He knew that he is only a few seconds away from being ripped apart by her or whatever she intended to do him. He had to act! He sprung to his feet, side-swept to a corner of the room to find anything to bash her with. He found a chair. Instantly, he charged at her with the chair as a battering ram, knocking her off her feet. He raised the chair and began beating her as fast as he could and as hard as he could. He grunted deliriously, he landed blow after frenzied blow on the corpse, who shrieked like an inhuman banshee.

"Stay away from me! STAY AWAY FROM, YOU BITCH!" He screamed violently, striking her with madly, and the bones creaked loudly. He gave a final righthook to her to make sure she is broken for good. He rushed to the door and began bashing it. He made a breach. A good sign! Just as he did he heard bones grating again. Panicked, crashed the chair even more and added a few kicks to until the gap was big enough for him to break free. He crashed through the rest of it and started running out to the hallway, which was in the same defiled state as the room. He ran feverishly and dared not to look back. He reached for the door at the end of the hallway and crashed through it.

The flight of stairs was dark and grim. All the lights are out but he would not bother with such details. His survival was his first priority and stopping to think is just lunacy. He continued downward hoping to reach the lobby and out to the relative safety of the outside world, his body consumed by the void of the stairs.

As he descended downward, the darkness seemed to close in all around him. It became thick and oppressive. He sweated and panted heavily from his pell-mell flight from that cadaver. He gradually slowed down. His strength had almost left him when he finally stopped. He got hugged a railing to support himself. His heart beated away like an out-of-control mule. Only when his body moderated its pace that he noticed something peculiar. He barely heard his breath. He couldn't hear any echoes. The darkness was completely pitch black. He could not see nor hear anything at all. And it felt like a crowded steam room on a hot summer noon. He sweated profusely. His breathing wheezed and his lungs has difficulty handling the thickness of the air. He looked at his watch. It was twelve o' clock, two hours since he took that girl home. And the hour before that, he was talking to the radio. The radio! Endaka felt a mix of emotions explode inside him. Anger of that radio's lying; anger for being fooled into the predicament he was currently in; and evil thoughts of his vengeance of that machine, vowing to destroy it should he get out of this hellhole. Then he remembered the radio's words, "No regrets."

Fear returned to him once again. He realized that his mindless acceptance of its offer was his own death wish. He regretted it for good. He looked up and he could see the tiny light from the top floor. It came from the doorway he busted through. It flickered feebly in the pitch black. But how could it be if the apartment has only four floors and the light from the top floor is high above from the ground like the end of a vertical tunnel high as a skyscraper and narrow as two shipping containers put together side by side. He realized that he was on a long flight of stairs! He was nowhere near the ground floor and the set of stairs before seem to lead to a bottomless pit. His vision went blurry, his hearing echoed and he was hyperventilating. Everything slowed down. Then he heard Sayuri calling out to him.

"Endaka! Please comeback! Please comeback!" The cadaver called out from the top in the sweet voice of the living girl. She ambled about abhorrently down the stairs, a mockery of the life and vitality she once had. The sound of her footsteps overloaded Endaka's already-spiraling mind. He tried to run but he slip. He grabbed a rusty railing but the weak steel could not support him, thus it broke and he screamed into the black nothingness which guaranteed a deathless fate, an endless end.

Endaka woke from the fall that seemed to have no end. He slowly got up. His body ached all over. He felt wasted and groggy. He creaked his neck and let out a grunt. He looked around where he is. _Looks like that pit had an end after all_, he thought. It was dark but he could see now. Behind him was the stairs which was derelict and unused for so long a time. A door was in front of him. He look up and saw stairs that lead to the top floor. It was deserted like everything else.

"Hell the entire building's deserted," he said to himself wryly. He looked around some more and paused for a few minutes. Reassured, he opened the door. Instead of the lobby, he was in front of a wall. A wall behind a door is usually a shocker but that was not what petrified him. The wall bore a grotesque Roman bas-relief of a man in agony with hundreds of hideous arms grabbing him to prevent his escape and abhorrent faces sneering at the poor fellow. The unfortunate one being featured was... him.

"Jesus Christ!" He screamed. Just as he did, he heard footsteps from the upper levels. The clattering of bones and the rasping of a torn dress heralded what he thought he could get away from.

"Endaka-kun, why did you leave me? I thought you promised to stay with me tonight," the creature moaned. He could not answer it. He looked on as the thing called out to him. "Endaka, please stay with me! I'm sorry if I took it too far!"

It seemed his sanity would snap at any moment. His mind demanded for action to maintain it. He blurted back, "What! What the hell is this! Just leave me alone!"

The corpse moaned, "Why? did I do something wrong to you? Tell me. Please tell me? TELL ME!" At that instant she jumped off from the stairs and into the bottom. Endaka dove for cover and it narrowly missed him with a sickening crack. He rolled over and backed away. The creature got on its hand and feet and stood up. It turned to face him.

She spoke softly and coldly to him, "Why are you leaving me so soon? Is because of those girls?"

"Girls?"

"Do not be be coy with me, liar," she said menacingly.

"What?"

"YOU LIAR!" She screamed. Her voice became monstrously inhuman as if she spoke with the voices of a thousand demons. Endaka sprung to his feet and quickly made up the stairs to the second floor. Sayuri ranted on, "YOU WANTED TO FUCK THEM, DIDN'T YOU! WAS I NOT GOOD ENOUGH? WHAT DO THEY HAVE THAT I DON'T!"

He broke through the door and shut it. He then grabbed a piece of iron and jammed it on the door. He was not sure if it worked but all he could think off was escape. He knew that this building had a fire escape. He ran through the hallway so he could reach the fire escape. Halfway, the floor cracked and he fell on through a hole.

_THUD!_

He lay on his belly apathetic and helpless. Sayuri walked beside him and turned him over his back with her rotting bony foot. He looked at her and blinked. The corpse's eyes were red with anger. At that moment, he knew the his life would end and that he didn't know what was after death. He had been an agnostic all his life. He wondered if he made had could have a chance to settle his earthly affairs before this. The corpse gave over him, circling him like a shark. Angry, he whispered to her softly, "Come on and finish me."

She did not answer. He craned his neck a little, his voice became a little louder, "Come on and just finish me." No answer.

Enraged over delaying of his fate, he screamed, "COME AND JUST KILL ME, GODDAMNIT!"

She finally smiled horrifically and she spoke in her demonic multivoice, "_Why are you in such a haste? Do you think we will just kill you here and then? And for what? To punish you for your sins of depravity and hedonism? We think not. We have greater affairs to attend to. You are just a mere instrument for a something greater than your wretched being. But that does not mean we will not make use of you in the future._"

"What? You mean...?"

"_But be warned. Do not give fancy us as though we can grant you clemency or mitigate your torment by skills of bargaining. We do not waste time with servile wretches like you. We decide about how we do about with you. And you have one more useful task for us tonight_." Suddenly, Endaka was spreadeagled on the floor by some unseen force. He struggled to move but he was completely immobilized. Around him are a number of weird symbols appeared around him. They glow with a vivid red color that terrified him to the core. The building rumbled violently and the ceiling disintegrated into a cataclysmic tornado. Most of the building has been ripped apart revealing to him a violent bloody-red sky. Everything was too horrifying for him to watch yet he could not close his eyes. In fact they've pulled back wide open. Almost as if to make him watch his fate.

Three daggers of horrid alien design danced around in the air. The corpse smiled and began chanting incomprehensible words. The daggers whirled faster and she chanted wildly, raising both arms as if to praise the sky. It got wilder until the final refrain. The daggers stopped and hovered over him. Then they were lowered carefully until two of them slowly dug into his flesh in his shoulders while the center one was a nick above his throat. Then she dropped both arms dramatically. The center dagger settled into his neck. He wanted to scream but his throat is slowly and painfully cut apart like a steak. The same thing went for the knives on his shoulders, cutting in the middle of the length of the arms. The pain was overwhelming. He writhed violently as he was slowly opened away by the daggers. The center dagger stopped at the waist while the the two finished at the wrist. Now he was exposed like a filleted fish.

The corpse walked over him and slowly dug her hands into the open chest. It slowly wrenched his heart from it. The pain maddened him and he thrashed his head violently to it. She held the heart like a torch. She then sliced it open with a fingernail. The blood that drained out from him formed a pentagram on where he is lying on.

"_Takeda. See you in hell_," she gloated. She tore the heart away. At the same time, he was instantly torn away from his skin and clothes. Standing up in the circle, hundreds of chains with hooks dug into his flesh and began ripping him away in a bloody manor. Screaming, bit by gruesome bit of his body was scattered about by the chains until there was nothing else left of him.

The bloody pentagram that remained was set aflame. She threw the pieces of the heart into and it burn more violently. The ground shook and opened forth a chasm that spawned fire. The sky and flames were sucked into it until something popped out of it. Everything finished, the chasm slowly crashed up closed and the thing fell on where the pentagram had been. The building returned to its normal decrepit state with rubble strewn around. The corpse, satisfied, screamed into the air piercing the night. Out of it came phantasms that flew swiftly into the air. They gave an eerie lightshow that finally concluded the strange little scene that had played in the abandoned building. And it fell to the ground. For some time it remained silent until...

"It is finished," a voice finally broke the silence of the eerie interlude. "More work lays ahead."

"We must make haste," another urged. "Our lord demands us to be swift. The time is upon us."

"Patience, everyone," a third rang out, "we only just began. We have more mundane matters to settle with for the moment."

"Yes," the first agreed, "I will dispose of the corpse of this dead wench who was our vessel." The figure picked up the corpse and dragged it away.

"It has been centuries since the last time we were truly free," a deep voice said, as if to savor the moment.

"Haven't we all," the third voice commented. There discussion continued well into the dawn. Meanwhile, at the same time in another house a man got out of his bed and went down the stairs to get a drink of water. At the kitchen sink in poured himself a glass. He felt something was going on. He looked around the kitchen and around the house. Nothing. Relieved that nothing had broke into his home he cleaned up and went back upstairs. He got back to bed with his wife so he could wake up and start another day of work.

* * *

Author's note: Dukon is the Japanese onomatopoeia for heartbeat. I'm finally done with the prologue. I can now continue work with the story proper. The numbers 4 and 9 are unlucky numbers in Japanese superstition and it's seen in Room 409. Add them together and you get the number 13, considered unlucky in the West. Feeling lucky, pal? Just wait for the shocking first chapter of the story proper.


	4. The Honeypot

**Chapter 1- The Honeypot  
**

This is the story proper. Hope you enjoy it. Because the sad fact is that nobody reads M-rated Azumanga fics these days. I gotta thank **Elred Bluegreen**, **Solarius Scorch**, **Hwikek** and **Miz-KTakase** and Wikipedia. This probably going to more daring, thus controversial. It will also include crossover bits of other anime such as Lucky Star and Marimite but it will still be an Azumanga fic. For those who got passed the prologue but could not handle the content of this chapter, I would advise you to read at a more convenient time and with a clearer state of mind. And I apologize to Belgian soccer fans.

_O cunning enemy that, to catch a saint, With saints dost bait thy hook: most dangerous Is that temptation that doth goad us on To sin in loving virtue._

- William Shakespeare.

_Measure for Measure (Angelo at II, ii))_

**I**

The school ended early. The hallways are busy with students packing to leave, are on cleaning duty, or engaging in extracurricular activities. Teachers walked briskly back to the faculty room to complete their day's task: grading and evaluating their students' performance, organizing their lesson planners and preparing for the next day's activities while they make small talk on anything to liven up the mood. For Kimura, he was done everything needed in just a few short minutes. He was rather surprised that he was able to accomplish a mundane and simple task in a few minutes. It is perhaps because he done that a while ago before he left his class. It is probably because of probably the weather. He had some bad memories of being stuck in school or some other place when the weather turned severe and coming home late. He looked outside the window noticing the clouds have gathered and darkened. He could hear the winds sweeping through the school.

"Hey, Kimura," a colleague asked, "You have that _Titanic _DVD you borrowed from me yesterday?"

"Oh yeah," He instinctively replied. He pulled out his drawer and extracted the requested item. He put it on the table. "My wife loves this movie," he remarked.

"Hmm, how was it?" His colleague asked as he took the DVD case from the table.

"It was good. We had a good time last night." Kimura replied as he rummaged through all his belongings.

"You wanna stay, Kimura? The soccer game's about to start." He referred to an anticipated soccer game between Japan and Belgium.

Kimura looked at the window. The weather is definitely not holding up. He turned back to the man, "No thanks, I have to go home now."

"Alright," the man replied. Then he frowned, "Just don't try to harass any female students along the way." Kimura's reputation as a peeping Tom among the girls is well known throughout the school. Parents complained of his continued presence in the school is threatening their daughters. Indeed, many a parent, student and taxpayer wonder why he still held employment despite his distasteful behavior. It seemed as if from some divine prank that he continued to hold his post. But his luck wouldn't last forever, especially now that the new principal Hajime replaced the aging and retired incumbent. This new man is a hardass compared to his predecessor, coming from a much more chaotic and unruly school that requires the iron hand he possessed. Hmm, he was transferred here to the more benign clime of Tokyo; probably the bosses thought this was a more peaceful station away from the rough-and-tumble school he used to keep order to. The thing is that this school might have been like it if it was not for the likes of Yukari Tanizaki and Kimura. Already he had minor skirmishes with that notorious English teacher. Yet, he too is strangely tolerant of him, albeit grudgingly for sure. Perhaps he is taking it easy with him now, since he had took his seat less than six months ago. It would probably fun to speculate about how the two would get along but_ it's pointless for now, _thought his colleague.

"Yeah, sure," Kimura said. He finally finished arranging his desk. He got up from and picked his briefcase.

"See you tomorrow," he said to his colleague.

"Yep, see you too," His colleague replied. He stepped out of the desk and made a slow walk to the door. He took his trench coat from the coat rack and put it on. At one side of his room the other teachers are gathering around a television set up high in a corner. A flashy presentation announced the start of the game. It then focused on the sports reporters announcing that it is a good day for the start of the game. Then the scene faded to the soccer stadium where the camera zooms to the spectators cheering looking restless. Then the teams where announced and everyone cheered uproariously including the teachers. The loudest to shout is Yukari.

"Oh yeah! Go kick some Belgian ass!" She shouted as she wildly pumped her fist in the air. She shouted again, "Hey Kimura! Which team did you bet on?" However, he was gone already. Walking in the hallway Kimura was focused on getting home. Along the way he noticed two girls coming out of the classroom. He smiled and wanted to greet them.

"Good afternoon, girls," he called out putting on his best smile. The girls instantly recognized the voice with horror and turned slowly.

"Good afternoon, Kimura-sensei," they stammered back. Their faces are full of fear and their legs trembled at the sight of the man with round glasses that obscured his eyes and a wide-mouthed smile that made the bravest lose heart. The very man who made very clear the blunt reason for his vocation: the very words that rang in their ears with disturbing clarity, '…I LIKE HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS THAT'S WHY!'

"What's keeping you here?" He asked. His smile lessened a bit but it still remained menacing to them. The winds howled louder outside. The hallways and corridors are sparsely lit, especially now in a dark afternoon. In any case, the school is now empty and additional lighting is not necessary.

"Uh…nothing, sir. We were just going home now," one of the girls answered. She felt her leggings shaking.

"Oh, you better go home right now because there's a storm coming. You don't want to be cooped up in school, do you?" He said all the while smiling, a smile that was a lecherous leer to the terrified girls.

"Shouldn't you go home too, Kimura-sensei?" The second girl finally asked.

Suddenly, reality dawned to him and he replied, "Oh you're, I gotta get home now!" he looked at his watch, "Bye-bye, girls! See you tomorrow!" He decided to end his little chat and get moving. He made a brisk walk for the stairs. Midway on his course, he turned around, "Would you two like to go home with me?" But the girls are nowhere to be seen. He clicked his heels and went on his way. With him out of the way the girls emerged from the bathroom they were hiding in.

"Thank goodness that perverted freak is gone," The first girl muttered, "Why the hell did they hire him the first place?"

"Beats me," the second girls sighed in relief, "but I swear that I'll get sick just to not have to see his face for a day." They both went away to finally go home without him harassing them or anyone.

The winds have swept through the school with increasing force. Kimura huddled in his trench coat for warmth. Leaves, pieces of plastic, paper and other light waste flew wildly through the air and dust stung his face. A man who made recycling his precept, he was incensed by the wanton display of rubbish fluttering in the air. It seemed to him that people do not care about keeping their surroundings sanitary; their waste properly sorted and disposed correctly. He regretfully had to forego his habit as a tempest loomed ahead menacingly. He got out of the gates and proceeded homeward.

The streets are full of cars and the sidewalks are jammed with people who are trying to get to wherever they intend to be ahead of the storm. Kimura had to make his way through the throngs of people which seemed to grow a little larger every half-minute or so. Pushing through the crowd, he struggled to make headway so the storm would not trap him in place. Now the crowd had grown to a demagogue. His pace was impeded it. He was forced to navigate through the shoals of the crowd and quickly. The going was hectic and minutes stretched into hours as he frantically steered himself to clearer ground. He rushed further to an almost jogging pace. He made a misstep. He suddenly lost balance and fell forward, losing his footing. He struck the concrete hard and the his forehead was overwhelmed by hot, sharp pain which flooded into his head and dulled his senses. He sat up apathetically groaning, a dull throbbing sensation radiated from the back of his head. He seemed exposed, embarrassed by falling in a crowded place. As he reoriented himself, two people approached him.

"Mr. Kimura... Are you alright?" Yomi said awkardly as she and Yomi rushed towards him. Kimura is still in a daze as the two help him up. The throbbing didn't make help him any better during the atypical turn of events.

"I'm… fine…" He managed to groan. He staggered unsteadily as they helped him up. The crowd simply moved on with some people taking a few glances at them just to see what happened. Whatever it is, it's simply not their business and they have other matters to attend to, the most urgent is taking cover from the dark clouds above. Kimura was about to touch the bump on his forehead when Yomi stopped his wrist.

"Don't touch it," she said, "You'll only make it worst." He slowly backed his hand away from the bump. He turned to see the two girls facing him. Sakaki was holding his briefcase, which he dropped when he fell on the sidewalk. It was an awkward thing for him since the last thing any teacher would expect was being help by their students in a sidewalk. Not that anyone is against that, but it was totally unexpected, obviously something not seen everyday. Compounding that is the fact that his lecherous behavior is no secret in the school nor does he attempt to remedy it.

"That... must have been a bad fall, Mr. Kimura." Sakaki said queitly.

"Yeah… it is," he replied weakly. He proceeded to move his aching muscles a little to get his body back in gear. A fall can make one stiff in movement so a little legwork is helpful to get one moving; pain can wait until the arrival home.

"We have go now. A storm is coming and we have to go now." Yomi said. She then turned to him, "Hey, Mr. Kimura-. Would you like to have that wound treated." The thunder growled and and lightning streaked across the sky.

"Yes...", he replied.

"Okay," Yomi said, "Sakaki, let's him him up". They lifted him by the arms and steadied him..

Kimura croaked weakly, "Thanks for helping me."

"No problem," Yomi replied, "We're do you live?" He told them his address.

"That's too... far," Sakaki commented. Then she turned to him, "Would... you like to stay with us for a while?"

"Huh?" Kimura was perplexed by the offer, "Uh, I mean, you're serious?"

"We can't stay here," Yomi said, "We have to treat that wound of yours." She pointed to the bump on his head which is slightly bleeding. She's right. He's a long way from home and his wounds need immediate treatment plus shelter from the storm. The thunder growled again. A few seconds later he and the two girls slowly proceed to go home.

* * *

**II**

They were racing the last few ten meters to the house just as the rain got stronger. Kimura struggled to keep his wound from bleeding with a handkerchief placed on his forehead and keep his head dry in the rain. Yomi muttered, "Jeez, the rain's getting stronger." Then she called out to him from behind, "Kimura-sensei, hurry up!" At that command he coaxed his legs to move faster and tried to move on despite the hot pain throbbing on his head. It's pulsing is starting to disturb him. He jogged to catch up with the girls. A slight thunderclap came when they arrived at the house.

"We're here," Sakaki said as they arrived at the gate. She hastily took out a key from her pocket and proceeded to unlock it.

"Finally," Yomi said. "We're freezing out here." Kimura looked at the house. It was an ordinary two-story house common in the suburbs. Another soft thunderclap sounded just as they got in. They proceeded to the door. Sakaki took another key out of her pocket and unlocked it. She then turned the knob and push it open. The relative light from the outside cast its rays on the dark interior. She then flicked a switch illuminating the room. It's a _genkan_ or entryway where people leave their footwear before they enter a house for sanitary and etiquette reasons. On the raised floor is a rack for slippers used for the inside of the house. Yomi said with a sigh of relief, "We're here. Thanks, Sakaki."

"You're welcome," she quietly replied. " She then turned to Kimura, "I'll help you sit down."

"Thank... you, Miss Sakaki," He replied slowly. The girls were being nice to him for this day. He could have declined their offer to help but he was not in any condition to do so. They slowly guided him by the arms to the raised floor of the genkan and helped him sit down gently so they do not stir the wound he was struggling to contain.

Yomi looked at the wound covered with the blood-red handkerchief, "God, sensei. This looks bad. We need to dress it now." She exclaimed.

"I'll get the first-aid kit," Sakaki said. She took off her shoes and took some slippers from the rack. She then left them as she stepped onto the raised floor. Yomi sat beside Kimura and held him upright as Sakaki unlocked the door and quickly got in. He heard the click of a switch and and the room leading to it was flooded with light. She then came back with a medkit. She opened it and prepared the bandages , disinfectants, and tools.

"How bad is it?" she asked Yomi.

"Pretty bad but not severe," Yomi replied reassuringly.

"Kindly put your hand away from the wound," she told Kimura. He reluctantly complied letting out a slight moan. She put away the bloody handkerchief and examined the wound. It was a raised discolored lump. It bled profusely and the teacher cringed a little. Sakaki took a cotton bud and poured disinfectant on it. She then applied it on the wound. He whelped from the cold wet cotton touching the hot exposed flesh. She gently rubbed it clean and then applied some light dressing.

"Ow, ow," he muttered slowly. Kimura couldn't shake this feeling of too good to be true. Two students are giving him shelter and tending to his wound. It must have been those days where you get something that was both totally unexpected and good. Yomi took of her shoes and replaced them with slippers from the rack.

"Mr. Kimura," Yomi said, "we're gonna have to take you to the sofa. Please stand up." He rose as the girls lifted him slowly by both arms.

"Easy, easy," Sakaki cautioned as Kimura stood up and walked. He forgot about how severe the injury is when he was treated until he stood up. A pulsing headache savagely erupted and he whimpered slightly in pain. It was almost as if something was trying to break free from his head. They helped him replace his shoes with slippers and half-carried him inside.

They entered the living room. In it are some pictures on the wall and cabinets with some knickknacks. There are two sofas and two couches around a glass coffee table facing a television. It was perfect for receiving company, be it an afternoon tea party, a Xbox Live match with friends or a study session. On the floor is an expensive carpet of very elaborate design. He caught a glance of it and noticed that the design was a little Levantine. Sakaki's family must have been well-off to have something of good taste. He felt a little strange just seeing that. They helped him lay down on the sofa. They rested his head gently on the armrest. Sakaki said to him, "Please don't touch that wound, Mr. Kimura." She then turned to Sakaki, "I feel wet. Can I use your bathroom?"

"Sure, it's right ahead near the living room and there's a change of clothes in it," Sakaki replied as she went straight to the kitchen. He watched Yomi go to the bathroom get inside. He looked at her back from top to bottom. before she closed the door. He couldn't help himself when he watched beautiful girls walk. Sakaki came back with an ice bucket and a hand towel. She's going to apply an ice compress to the wound. She carefully peeled the dressing away, wrapped some ice with the cloth and applied it on the wound. It felt relieving to him. "Are you comfortable?" Sakaki asked quietly.

"Yes, pretty much," he replied. She smiled a bit. Looking at her was like heaven to him. His heart lightened a bit. Yomi came out from the bathroom. She had changed her school uniform for some clothes in the bathroom. It occurred to him that they must have been pretty close friends besides Tomo. He wondered if the other girls come here from time to time.

"Yomi, your done," Sakaki said. "Please hold his compress while I change."

"It's okay," Kimura said to them as he clutched his compress, "I've got it."

"Aww, don't such a knight," Yomi said matter-of-factly with a smile. "You're our guest today. I'll take care of that." She casually put his hand away from the compress and replaced it with hers. Kimura felt a some electricity rushed through him with when their hands met. Sakaki disappeared into the bathroom. He looked at her smile. Just like with Sakaki he felt at ease in her company. She was wearing light-green T-shirt and a pair of black shorts. He looked at her body. It was like back in that swimming pool but now it was close. Very close. Her body was not as slender as Sakaki's body but she's definitely not fat as Tomo often asserted. Her body is a bit wide at the waist but had nice curves. Rain pounded harder outside and the house felt cold but comfortable. The fan hummed when another lightning cracked. Sakaki later appeared from the bathroom. She wore a long-sleeved blue shirt and white pants. She looked absolutely stunning.

"Thank you," he groaned a bit, "for taking me in with you in your house."

"You're quite a mess back there and we can't just leave you there with an impending storm." Sakaki noted.

"Oh, I see," Kimura said, agreeing with the logic of that, letting out a small smile.

"You know..." Sakaki turned to Yomi, "He's not as bad as usual."

Yomi answered, "Yeah, he's less perverted when he's got a lump on his head-we should keep that in mind." Kimura's smile sank back into a frown. Clearly, they still held some reserve for him.

"So, eh," he said, "it really is nice for you two to do this for me, but I need to be at school early tomorrow, for a meeting. When do you think I can leave?"

"Not for a while." Yomi said matter-of-factly. "You're bleeding pretty badly, and you might have a concussion. If you're going anywhere tomorrow, it's the hospital, not school."

"The phone stopped working yesterday." Sakaki added. "Mom said she'd pick a new one up when she got back here tomorrow morning."

"You can explain everything to the school, get an ambulance, and call your parents... I mean wife." After some thought, Yomi put in, "You'd better not mention us, though. People could take that the wrong way." Well, if anyone could be taken the wrong way, it'd be Kimura, so he agreed. Still... as much as he tried to be mature in this situation, he had to struggle with himself to keep his eyes pointed away from the two high-schoolers...

"Oh, by the way." Yomi took a quick look at the compress, "There's something _I've_ been meaning to ask you for a while."

"What's that?" He asked.

"Well, I shouldn't be letting it bother me, but it kind of is. Do you think I look fat?"

Kimura somewhat locked up at the question. Suddenly, he was being given a pass to look over Mizuhara's body, if only briefly, and... yet...

"You look just fine." He said, ordering his eyes to stay pointed at the wall and not look at her. It just wasn't right for him to be thinking like this, especially about one of his students, especially since he was already married, especially since it wasn't a new urge, and he had to learn to control it, especially...

"What? You didn't even look, Mr. Kimura." She said. "I thought, of all people, the ever-so-observant Kimura would be able to tell me honestly."

"Um, well, you really aren't fat. You're not very slender but it doesn't mean you're packing weight. You have, eh... graceful curves." He tried to answer confidently but his words seem to betray his anxiety of answering to someone other than his wife. And under rather different circumstances as well.

"So, does that mean...?" She began, before the phone rang. "Oh, perfect timing." She said bluntly. "Probably Tomo. You can hold the compress for a few minutes while I deal with that moron."

Nodding gratefully, Kimura placed his hand over the compress while Yomi walked off. As she turned the corner, however, she gave him a look. A glance, for merely a second, that seemed almost... seductive.

"No, no, no, it wasn't meant that way." He muttered to himself, setting his feet down on the floor. "This is getting a bit out of hand by the second. I have to, I don't know, find a cab or something, maybe try and..."

A huge roll of thunder almost seemed to shake the house, and he was dissuaded from his exit, laying back down in the exact same position without saying a word. The thought of getting home through this storm was ruled out. It's indeed strong. And then he thought about how rude he might be if he leave immediately or asked permission to leave. After all, they nursed his wound and sheltered him. Yomi talked on the phone for a few brief seconds. "Who is this?" She seemed a bit frustrated.

"Chunky Pony's Pizza Delivery." It replied in an annoyingly cheery and familiar voice. "You're one stop shop for good food with all the cheesy fatty goodness dripping with oil."

"Just as I thought, Tomo!" She shrieked. "What do you want?"

"Oh nothing, Yomi," She kept up her voice, "Just checkin' you. It looks awfully cold there. How 'bout a snack made up of hot noodle soup with a big rib eye steak sandwich, lots of spaghetti-"

"Keep your mouth shut, Tomo. You're calling the wrong house."

"Whose house?" She chimed irritatedly.

"Sakaki's house," she half-screamed.

"Whatcha doing there? Raiding her fridge?" She taunted stupidly. That was it for Yomi, she doesn't like it when Tomo highlights her weight problem.

"Just shut up already!" She snapped with veins popping from her from her forehead and fire coming out of her mouth. As the comical phone conversation continued Kimura turned to a slightly embarrassed Sakaki.

"You said the phone didn't work."

"Well, we could only receive. That's why my mom is replacing it." She quietly replied. She then asked him, "Are you hungry, Mr. Kimura?"

That question took him aback. "Uh... I really can't tell..." He replied weakly.

"That's alright, I'll prepare snacks. We've also got something to show too." She said. That naturally aroused his curiosity.

"What is it?" He asked.

"Just stay there. You have to stay in the sofa..."

"No, I can walk on my own feet," he tried to stand up. But Sakaki reached down to restrain him.

"Please, Mr. Kimura, do sit down," she said.

"But please, I just want to-" he asserted and sighed, "I just want to stand up a bit." After, that he quickly regretted it. He hung his head and moaned, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be rude..."

Sakaki replied to him, "That's... alright. I'm only making sure you're okay." She demurely clasped her hands together and hung her head a little.

Kimura felt a bit bad for that, "I shouldn't have raised my voice at you. I apologize for that."

Sakaki's heart lightened a little and accepted his apology, "It's okay. If you want to go to the table, just ask Yomi to help you up." She pointed to Yomi still arguing over the phone. Then she stalked off to the kitchen to prepare snacks.

"Nice talkin' to you. Bye," Tomo concluded with Yomi cheerily.

"Just shut up!" She nearly screamed slammed the phone back and growled, "Urrgggh! Just when you need something to shut her up these days!" Kimura looked at Yomi. She was quite agitated by her talk with Tomo. They're like cat and mouse, fighting a lot often.

"Uh... are you alright, Miss Mizuhara?" He asked cautiously, fearful of his voice or words might convey the wrong message. She looked at him and sighed with relief.

"I'm sorry if such a jerk on the phone," she said. "That idiot doesn't know when to shut up."

"That happens all the time," he happily said. They didn't so no more as Yomi sank into a couch, wanting to have a little rest. Still, Kimura is a bit mystified by her relationship with the wildcat. No matter how obnoxious she is, Yomi continues to stick to her. He read that they came from the same middle school. After a few seconds he asked her again, "Just for the record, do you... really hate her?"

Yomi looked at him and sighed "Well, It's kind of hard to explain. She's been the bane of my life." The rain continued to pour and thunder and lightning intermittently broke the silence. Then came the sounds of the kitchen. The tall raven-haired beauty is now busy making them their little meal. She was humming a tune from some anime which is quite catchy and calming. The thought of her cooking and singing at the same time was very beautiful and comforting. Like the voice of a siren. He stood up quickly made his way to the kitchen, all without any apparent effect from the injury.

"Hey, what are you doing?" Yomi asked, getting up too to stop him but he was well on his way. The literature teacher walked right into the kitchen. Inside it was very clean and well-kept. On the counter Sakaki is brewing tea and the table is set. Her hair is tied in a long ponytail and she wore an apron. It made her look even more beautiful.

Sakaki turned around and saw him, "Mr. Kimura," she said, "what are you doing here? Shouldn't you stay at the sofa? That head injury of yours is pretty bad."

It was another awkward situation for him. He stood up without even realizing about his head injury. He walked straight into the kitchen, most probably alarming the girls. He said to her, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to worry you. It's just your humming. It's... beautiful."

Sakaki blushed at that complement. "Really...?"

"Yes, I do think it's beautiful. It may have healed my headache." He chuckled

"Thank you." She replied politely, a smile on her face. There was a chime. The tea is finished. They washed their hands on the sink. Yomi directed and helped him to sit on the table while Sakaki took the automated teapot to the table and took off the apron.

"Are you a Christain, Mr. Kimura?" Yomi asked casually. That stunned him. _What?_ Kimura was caught off-guard by that comment and a bit puzzled.

"Huh?" he said calmly. "How did you know?"

"I saw a crucifix on your neck," she pointed out. Kimura thought, _Oh, they must have good eyes. No student of mine ever knew of this_. He took it out of his neck and showed it to them.

"Yes, I'm a Christian. A Catholic to be specific. My wife too. In fact, we both came from Catholic families."

"I couldn't believe that... you're Catholic." Sakaki said, genuinely astounded. "It never occurred to me that you are one. And your behavior..." She couldn't continue, feeling she might offend him.

"Well, it's somewhat complicated. To tell you the truth, I'm not very observant. Their somethings I couldn't shake off."

"That's alright," Yomi added, "No ones perfect but you as a Catholic? That's something. And why are we talking when we should be eating."

"Ah, good point," Kimura happily agreed. "We should start now, I'm hungry."

"Mr. Kimura, would you like to say grace on the table?" Sakaki said. He agreed and they made a sign of the cross and prayed together. They concluded with an 'amen.' Sakaki then played music on the radio. It was a song called _Taishō a_. It gave a relaxing atmosphere to their meal.

"_Itadakimasu!"_ He said encouragingly. They began to eat their food. On the table is a bowl of cold mitsumame, a kind of salad made with agar jelly, some fruits and confections, topped with sweet black syrup; a plate of honey-flavored Castella, a light sponge cake which is a specialty of Nagasaki, and of course, the tea. It seemed like brown or black with a reddish color. Sakaki served cup of it to each of them. They all talked about how their day was. All the usual things about school and a little bit about home. As Kimura took a sip of the tea to wash down a bite of Castella, he noticed it tasted different. It tasted fruity... spicy... and heady.

"Excuse me," he asked Sakaki, "This tea tasted different. What kind of blend is it?"

Sakaki was silent for a while before she answered awkwardly, "Well... it's not tea at all... It's boiled... wine drink."

Kimura nearly choked when he heard it. "What?"

"I know what you're thinking," Sakaki continued, "it's not that we're alcoholic. It's called mulled wine. In this case, it's a German recipe called Glühwein."

"Glühwein?" It was a foreign phrase to him.

Yomi then explained, "Glühwein is popular in German-speaking countries and the region of Alsace in France. It is the traditional beverage offered and drunk on Weihnachtsmärkten or Christmas market in English. It is usually prepared from red wine, heated and spiced with cinnamon sticks, vanilla pods, cloves, citrus and sugar. Fruit wines such as blueberry wine and cherry wine are rarely used instead of grape wine in Germany. Glühwein is drunk pure or 'mit Schuss', which means there is rum or liqueur added. The French name is _vin chaud_ (hot wine)." She was apparently well-read.

"It tasted... " Kimura smiled warmly, "delicious. You're family must have been good cooks." Sakaki giggled and explained that her father is an engineer who travels around the world. He constructed buildings in from Dubai to Oslo, Norway. Her mother is a very good florist and cook. She manages a flower shop at downtown.

"And there's something else I have that thing I wanted to show," She said to him.

"Trying to surprise me, huh," he chuckled, "let's what is it." At that Sakaki produced a parcel wrapped in manila paper. It was labeled SAKAKI. She then ripped it apart and placed on the table, wrapping on the bottom. It was a thick leather-bound book, old with age and pages yellow and stiff. It had a musty smell. "That's the surprise?" He asked timidly, slightly nonplussed by its appearance.

"Unnerving, isn't it?" Sakaki said, "My dad bought this book over at E-bay. It's an odd book which he's rather curious about."

"You should have asked permission before you opened this package," Kimura said, "I mean you opened it without securing his consent."

"That's alright. He never said anything about me opening it. He just told me to give it to someone who can study this thing. I'm sure you know someone like a college professor who is into this."

"Uh... no," he said. It never occurred to him that they would asked him about that. Then he asked, "Can I read it?"

"Sure." She handed him the book, "I do have to say that this book is kinda weird though." He simply nodded and took it of her hands. He opened it and was stunned at first sight. The book is written in old Japanese but have many European engravings that seemed to have come from the 14th to 16th century. It is written in a prose of poetry. The pictures are grotesque caricatures featuring very unsettling scenes. The writings are focused on something dark and arcane. He felt his spine chill and his hands cold with sweat. The phone rang. Yomi stood up and told Sakaki that she'll get it. She walked to the living room and took it. As she did, Kimura's eyes were glued to the book, practically having a magnetic hold on him.

She then called out to Kimura, "Your wife is on the phone."

"M-my wife?" He stuttered. Her call broke his concentration and he could not believe what he just heard.

"Yes," Yomi replied. "She said that she got that number from one of our friends, who it leads to my house." She raged, "I swear to God that it's Tomo." Of course, Tomo the trickster playing yet another prank on Yomi, but involving his wife? It's not good. The storm worsened with claps of thunder getting louder.

"Kimura," she said, "want me to take the phone to you? It's cordless."

"No, I'll take it." He said, policing his voice to sound a little more mature and less helpless. He planted his feet on the floor and stood up.

"Hello?"

"Oh, hey. I heard about your little fall on the sidewalk. Are you OK? Still hurt?"

Kimura looked away from the phone for a second to breathe. "No, it's not so bad. Just a little bit dizzy, that's all."

"Oh, I'm so glad to hear that! So, you're at Mizuhara's house right now?"

"Yes, that's right...," he replied despite the fact it isn't her house at all, "listen, I don't think I can go home until the storm subsides. I might be staying here for a while and I'm sorry if I'll not be home for dinner."

"That's alright. I'll save some food for you and we can eat together." She replied cheerily. That cheered him up. She was like an angel to him.

"That's wonderful, honey. I'm looking forward to it."

"Okay, bye."

"Bye." He hung up and went back to the table, assured that his wife is no longer worried about his well-being. In the course of their meal, Sakaki reached out to him.

"You know... Kimura-sensei... There's something we wanted to ask you... Yomi and I." She said awkwardly. The two girls blushed a bit and frowned.

"Uh... you don't look happy." He noted after he finished a cup of the mulled wine. They lifted their heads a bit.

"Well, Kimura-sensei, it's a miracle that you got married despite your lewdness," Yomi said. "Us, on the other hand, seemed to fend off boys at any rate. They feel intimidated by us."

"Uh... I never thought of that." He replied.

"But you were quite honest when you said about the high school girls thing. You just said it the wrong way, we believe you didn't really mean it."

"Oh... you seem right," Kimura muttered in amazement. That thought hit him.

Sakaki then quietly asked. "And is there anything between you and your wife?"

"Heavens no," he corrected, "me and my wife are very happy. The thing is that she's so nice and sweet... God, it's so hard for me to approach her since our honeymoon." He put a hand on his head in frustration.

"We understand. She is too virtuous for you even if you're married. You feel guilty if you plan to sleep with her." It gave Kimura another jolt of thought.

"That's... right. I'm too afraid to approach her." There was silence

"I think we could help each other. There's an urge that we have, and we cannot hold it. We don't know whom to turn to..." Sakaki finally asserted. Kimura could not answer, he simply could not believe what he just heard. After realizing what she just said she relented, "I'm sorry. I was too hasty. I didn't mean to..."

Kimura looked at Sakaki. The tall girl who already looked like a woman seemed ashamed of what she just said. "I understand. The two of you wanted to do... something." Despite his tendencies, he still had a little decency to know where his limits are in words and deeds, yet that is a thin red line that could break at any moment. Clearly, despite his Catholic upbringing, he lacked a strong will to rein in his passions. He felt a fire inside him that is ready break out. He asked Sakaki, "Just for the record, why did you turn to me?"

"I don't think you're the pervert that everyone thinks you are. Deep inside, you're a lonely person who really wanted to reach out to someone. But you couldn't because something inside is chaining you. Even in the company of someone as loving as your wife. We feel the same as well."

Yomi entered the conversation, "I felt that way too because of Tomo. She cracks a joke at my expense and everyone in middle school starts laughing their heads off." Kimura finally realized why Yomi gets angry with Tomo every time she makes a joke. Still, it never dawned to him that they would feel like this. But then he supposed that people felt lonely despite being in good company. No one turn to is a big problem that lies with loneliness. There is empathy for them that he did not usually feel. A desire to hold them close to his arms to give comfort. He played dating sims when he was in his teens because he could not find a girl who would like him. It helped fill a void in him but only for a short while. It never was full.

Then to his shock, Sakak took his wrist and placed his hand on her chest. "S-Sakaki? What are you doing?"

Sakaki looked into his eyes as if to see into his soul and for him to look into hers. "Our feelings are not hollow. My heart beats for you. I know it's wrong but how could I look the other look the other way for so long?"

Yomi added, "Mine as well."

Now Kimura was sweating bullets. He felt that a sword has cut him through, he was torn about whether to follow his feelings despite being potentially immoral or to restrain himself despite the girls' request for his company. _I know it's wrong but I couldn't just say no to them. They might feel hurt. And... No... I won't just leave them like this... I hope she understands_. He said to them. "Alright, I'll stay with you a little longer."

"Really?" Yomi asked bewildered.

"Yes. I've decided to stay with you for a while. Let's just keep this among ourselves."

The girls were astounded. They stood up and bowed respectfully, "Thank you very much, Kimura-sensei. We never knew you would do this for us." They said together. They stood up and began cleaning the kitchen now that their meal is finished.

Kimura stood up too but before he could leave, Yomi said to him, "You could use the bathroom if you want to freshen up and there's a change of clothes that you may want to use."

"Ah, thank you." He responded happily. The entire conversation took some weight of his shoulders. He went to bathroom to freshen up. As he went inside, he took off his clothes and turn on the faucet to give himself a bath. He felt he made a bad decision there when he decided to stay. Yet, he felt he could take it. He could not sway what he done. He looked into the window where the storm still raged. _Weird_, he thought,_ time does have a way of slowing down_. It should have abated by now. He looked at the clock in the bathroom. It was 5:45 PM. He decided to relax and ready himself to what may come ahead.

* * *

**III**

He finally came out of the bathroom dressed in a bathrobe. The girls were waiting for him on at the door. "Ready, Kimura-sensei?" Sakaki asked.

"I'm ready," He answered confidently. The two girls then playfully took his hands and ran through the stairs. The feel of their hands made Kimura blush. The girls giggled in delight as they rushed upstairs and into the bedroom. They opened the door and now, he realized that they have lead him to the sanctum sanctorum, Sakaki's quarters. The bed was large and atmosphere of the room had an air of sensuality. The literary teacher never knew that something like this would ever come to him, but it did. They stopped for a while, hesitant of their first carnal experience. He could see it in their eyes, full of innocence and eagerness. Sakaki was the first to act, nervously fumbling her the fringes of her shirt. He felt the fires of his passion intensify but he held it in check, not wanting to begin just yet. She slowly took it off, casting it aside then slid off her pants. Kimura's eyes popped open widely as she saw her in white bra and panties. _She was beautiful beyond words_. Her big breasts made her look imposing and ladylike. His mouth was wide open than usual, his passion blazed inside him but he reined it in for now.

"Am I okay?" she quietly asked him, self conscious of a man gazing at her body.

"Yes, you're alright." He answered, his breathing a little faster. Then came Yomi's turn. She slid of her shorts and kicked it away. Then she took off her shirt. Now she was in light blue bra and panties. Kimura felt he was going to have nosebleed and faint but miraculously he didn't. The combination of virtue and initiative was just irresistible. They both blushed and smiled a bit, but they didn't stop there. Both Sakaki and Yomi unhooked their bras and slid them off in front of him. The sight was mindbogglingly hypnotic. Sakaki's breast looked more prominent than ever and they both had large dark nipples. Yomi's breasts, the third largest he knew after Sakaki's and Kagura's, had cute pink ones and her hips were voluptuous. Their bodies had miles of creamy whiteness all over and he stared at them for what seemed like an eternity. They both sat down on the bed.

Yomi finally said, "Kimura-sensei... it's your turn." He suddenly realized that he's up. Quickly, he fumbled the ties of his bathrobe. He parted it away. To his extreme shock, he realized he wore nothing underneath the whole time! What's more, his manhood was exposed for them to see, hard! He thought to himself, _Damn it! What did you get yourself into this time?_ While he mentally scolded himself, the girls stared in awe of the now-erected private. It wasn't quite big but not too large and his body was of average build, not very attractive but certainly not skinny.

"You're... circumcised, Kimura-sensei," Yomi noted in awe, examining his organ. He did not answer. He doesn't know what to say. Sensing his reluctance, the girls pulled him in. Kimura was now laying in bed with them at either side. She added smiling, "Don't be shy, Kimura-sensei, this is your special time." He didn't move for a while. Impatient, they crept to his groin and began fondling and licking it. He was mortified these turn of events.

"My God! What are you doing?" He almost screamed at the sight of them... doing that! They continued to do it. He wanted to them stop. "Stop it already, cease and desist." They stopped and looked at him. But they went on. He had to admit that it was definitely turning him on, but he could not stand the sight of them doing this. He raised voice, "I want you two young ladies to stop it this instant." They stopped when he said that. He asserted himself more firmly this time. They all sat up on the bed.

"Kimura-sensei," Sakaki asked hesitantly, "what did we do wrong?"

"What you both did is degrading and unfitting for young ladies!" He could not bear to see them doing something as shameful as that. The two felt rather ashamed of themselves. He looked at them and felt a little bad about himself. He reached to both girls and embraced firmly. "I know I should not raise my voice but I can't stand seeing you do those things. You are even better then that, I knew you are." The girls, touched by his words, embraced him tighter. He trembled as he felt their bodies. It was there first experience after all. He knew that what they are all doing is wrong but strangely, it felt like heaven. A teacher making love with his students as one of most confusing paradoxes of the world. It can condemned as the most obscene act of the world but also be enshrined as the most forbidden-therefore the most tantalizing- of all pleasures. Yes! The thought hit him quite hard. He is a teacher! He is supposed to guide them through things in life especially long after they leave the classroom. He decided he will put the things he learned from the dating sims to good use and teach these girls. He will not let his lust do as it pleases but he will channel it for his purpose. Shame was the last thing in his mind, however, and it did not bother him.

He sat Yomi up against his crotch, compressing his hardened flesh. He felt her butt behind the thin smooth fabric of her panties. The teacher fondled her breast and ran a hand on her thighs. Yomi shuddered a bit and smiled. That was a good sign. He massaged her breast slowly while his other hand stroked her thighs, she breathed heavily with pleasure. He began kissing and nibbling her neck , Yomi blushed and that got him hooked. The smoothness of her thighs and suppleness of her breast were unimaginable. They lay down side-by-side on the bed, Kimura still behind her fondling her breasts and thighs. He scented Yomi's hair. It had a delicate exotic fragrance. Elated by the scent, he made a risky move: he slowly caressed his way from the thighs to her panties. Then his hand crept along its garter. He then swept his hand down on the fabric, startling her. "Kimura-sensei," she let a slight gasped, "what are you doing?"

"Giving you advanced lessons," he smiled. He felt the pubic hair and her intimate parts. He touched her center, bravely slipping inside and her mouth fell open wordlessly. He stroked the pubic hair, then rubbed her small pink bud with his thumb while his fingers played inside her, earning Yomi's erotic 'mmmmmmm', marveling at the heat infusing them and went in deeper. Her hands helped along the way, massaging her parts along with his. But Kimura wasn't satisfied, however. He stopped. They changed position. He tried to slip her panties off but his hands trembled nervously, she took them and guided them to her cover. The panties are gone within 2.3 seconds. But before he plunged in, Yomi took a small foil packet under her pillow. _They were prepared for this?_ He thought, bemused, but decided not argue with the logic behind it. The rain had mellowed down to a bit outside, giving the room a comfortable atmosphere.

Quickly, he mounted up while she lay underneath astride, his hands on her shoulders. With her legs spread apart, he slowly made his way into literally virgin territory. Even with only the tip in, her warmth had flooded his manhood. It felt amazing. He could see her face momentarily scrunched in pain as he thrust quickly and firmly past a slight hindrance. Her locus is very tight! He never felt like this before except from his honeymoon with his wife Naomi. _His wife!_, he thought. Thoughts of infidelity assailed his mind. He was betraying his wife, a mortal sin! He could not go on with his carnal adventure, the thoughts of his guilt in cheating on his wife stopped him cold. Yomi noticed he had stopped. She raised herself a little and threw her arms around him, pulling her in. Kimura found himself taken in and their bodies are now touching each other. He get feel her breasts against his and their mouths were brought together. Now back to reality, he felt her tongue exploring the contours of his mouth, they wrapped each other with their arms and began writhing in ecstasy. He thrust his loins hard against her thighs with rhythm, her legs wrapped around her hips, their mouths clashed erotically. For Kimura, their lovemaking was like the observance of a ritual, one that is sacred, timeless, and primal. All those guilt feelings evaporated and he found virility he thought he never had. Moans escaped from her lips with each kiss and thrust, her arms gripped him tightly. The real world seemed to melt away in the heat of passion and slowly phased into a realm of intimacy and seclusion. A paradise that felt like a dream, one which he hoped never ended for him. Their moans gave the room music. Leaning away from her, he laid his face between her breast and began licking her nipple. She let out slight gasp and embraced his head warmly. He then raised the pace, pulsing hard and gently licking the rest of her breasts. Her moans turned to screams as he pulsed harder and faster. He felt her locus tighten around his member. He writhed harder and licked her furiously, causing Yomi to whelped in pleasure and held each other tightly, refusing to let go. Then it came. Waves of ecstasy flooded him and Yomi with overwhelming force, an indescribable sensation of euphoria that rivaled a hermit's mystical revelation of heaven.

He remembered those dating sims he played before, the good times he had but real life is definitely better! He never climaxed anywhere so greatly in his life. Having reached the summit of their lust, it gradually ebbed into a relaxing mellow. They now lay down side-by-side, their breathing heaved and their bodies spent from lovemaking. He looked at her, her breathing made her seem seductive. He let out a slight closed-mouth smile, happy that he and Yomi made out. He gently touched her face. She replied with a smile and softly clasped his hand. They parted and she retired to bed. He turned to Sakaki. She had lay beside them all along. Her face blushed with embarrassment, he looked down and saw why: she stuck her fingers in her panties. She had masturbated the whole time. Ashamed, she quickly took them out and tried turned herself away from him but Kimura sat beside her. He asked her, "What's wrong?" A distant thunder rang outside.

She replied with hesitation, "I-I couldn't resist myself... You and Yomi were so hard for each other... it turned me on... I cannot refrain myself... from doing... it." She hung her head, her eyes glazed a bit. Kimura, feeling a bit sad, touched her cheek.

"It's alright for you to do that." He comforted her, "It's quite normal for your age. And there isn't anyone who would say honestly that they did not do that." She lifted her head a bit and wipe here eyes with her arm.

"I know that... It just feels wrong to do that... in front of you."

"No matter," he replied gently. He then asked her, "Are you ready?" He was wondering what she would answer him. He felt a bit tense for a few seconds.

Sakaki smiled softly and replied, "Yes." That lightened his heart. They both got tissues from the bedside table. Sakaki wipe her hands with it while Kimura removed the rubber sheath from his organ and wipe it clean. She handed him another foil packet. He obliging got it and got ready. She took off her panties and sat down. He looked at her now naked body from head to toe. He noticed her pubic area, which was neatly trimmed. Such a sight was quite kinky to him. Her usually sleepy eyes grew wide with wonder, "Are you drinking me with your eyes?" The words sound very erotic. There is only one answer for that.

Slowly, he embraced and kissed her. Slightly startled, she nevertheless joined in. His hands were moving almost on their own, heedless to any commands from his mind- if there was any at the moment- as they stroked her hair. Their tongues explored the caverns of each other's mouths. They moaned sensuously, his chest pressed against her supple yet firm bust. He slipped a hand underneath and groped one of her breasts. She gasped as he gently stroked it. She then gripped him harder, lay back and pulled him in. He pinned her hands down on the bed and went in hard inside, causing her to squirm a bit. This is it! Random fantasies with his female students had crossed his mind time and again but they never got far beyond a few seconds. This was no fantasy at all! Yomi and now Sakaki are handing their virginity, their very essences to him, so they can cross the threshold of experience. He slowly bucked his hips against that sacrosanct place of hers, an altar for their amorous appetites, which just seemed to suck him in. She was totally receptive of each lunge he made into her lithe body, her eyes closed as she gasped and moaned. He massaged her breasts, his hands feeling her busty glory and her nipples. That was a truly erotic sight. Then everything changed all of a sudden. Without warning, she flung forward, hugged him and rolled over. Pressing an arm and leg as leverage to get him on his back, she is on top and he at the bottom with his phallus still buried inside her. That took him by surprise. She smiled at him as she leaned back. "My turn now, sensei." _Changing places and taking charge, not bad at all_, he smiled at that thought.

His hand on her slender hips, he held her in place while she pressed her hands on his arms. Sakaki began bouncing on top of him, her breasts bounced and her breath was heavy, struggling to pick up her teacher's previous pace. It was the most beautiful thing in the world he ever saw. She sighed with each thrust she made and her mouth made a little 'o' as his hands kept her where she should be. Placing a hand on her back, he lowered her a bit and played with her breasts, kissing and sucking one while his free hand rubbed the other. Her thrusts became frenzied. Her head fell on his shoulders and her nails dug into his arms. He then turned the tables on their lovemaking, embracing her, then flipping himself back into his dominant position once again. His hands on her shoulders, it's his turn to call the shots. He thrust at medium pace, stimulating her nerves into sending steady waves of bliss all over her body. Groaning sexually, she finally spoke. "Faster! Faster!" She pleaded. "Harder! Make me yours, Kimura-kun! Make yours!" Her words, with the change of honorifics, were the best he ever heard. He then unleashed himself on Sakaki, slamming himself inward harder and faster. Bliss enveloped the couple in a mystic air, where sex is not only a physical ecstasy but also spiritual, where it could allow them to transcend borders of reality into an otherworldly paradise. He seemed to let loose half his repressed sexual tension in Yomi and now he is releasing the stronger half in the raven-haired beauty. His virility soared to new heights as they writhed together in felicity, kissing each other passionately to match the actions of their loins. Then epiphany! They cried loudly as they exploded themselves into a heavenly light, submitting themselves to a revelation they are not allowed to see...

... Now finished, they released themselves from each other's hold and lay away in bed to soothe their wracked bodies. Breathing heavily, he lied down between her and Yomi, who uncannily slept through it all. Moonlight flooded the room, indicating that the storm had already passed. He looked at the sleeping meganneko to his left. She snoozed gently, unmindful of his exploits with Sakaki. He felt happy that they turned to him... and in a genuine way. Their affair, as much as it was driven by simple lust, was also by passion and love. He then looked over to Sakaki, her eyes are sleepy again, he also an unusual tint her eyes, it seemed to glow... green-yellow. He shook his head, realizing it could just be a trick of light. The two girls seem so beautiful and innocent in the light's soft caress. It almost like he just deflowered them... _Deflowering them_? He thought. _No! He was letting them bloom, he helped them blossom_, _morals be damned!_ He then felt a dark rage clench his chest. There is a facet of his personality that most people overlook. Contrary to the popular view of him as a mere pervert, he is still a capable educator. In this case, he _can_ discipline his students, especially the boys(it seems that correcting the girls isn't necessary at all). This was manifested when he would confiscate some rather explicit material from them. Pornographic magazines, hentai manga and doujins, even a scandalous sketch of him with one of his female students. Anger seethed through his eyes, his hands clenched on the sheets. While admittedly, he was no better than them, he hated with total disgust about how female characters are subjected to such indignities as rape and gangbanging. God, he hated it all. Some of those unlucky offenders said that about he would change from a creepy old man to a somewhat slightly-strict fellow whose face the second they look again would send a glare that would chill down their bones and his subtle yet serious tone of voice meant business when handing out disciplinary measures. A baffling paradox indeed to those who know him well, even so when some of the boys admired his 'sincerity' in liking teenage girls. Sakaki and a waking Yomi noticed the anger in his eyes. She asked him softly, "Kimura-sensei, what's the matter?"

Back to himself again, he looked at them. His eyes have softened again. A surge of emotion shot into his body. He quickly pulled Sakaki and then Yomi into his arms, wrapping them tightly.

"Oh," Sakaki stammered.

"Hey," Yomi muttered. Kimura felt his eyes water a bit. He clung desperately to them with his trembling hands, wanting to protect from the dangers that lurked in the streets. From ruffians and waifs who seek to take advantage of them. He was glad he didn't refused their request. The blushing girls hugged him in return, feeling the distress surfacing from within, wanting to return the favor and make him feel wanted. He could feel their hearts beating from his chest. They are right when they said their warmth for him isn't hollow. He let out a tear.

"Thank you, Kimura-sensei," Sakaki said, a gentle planting a kiss on his cheek.

"Me too," Yomi said, feeling a bit sad.

"You're welcome," he slowly answered, feeling shaky from within, knowing that what he did -they did- is wrong... yet it felt like the right thing to do. He let out a tear for their trust in him. He couldn't feel any more grateful. He wanted the moment to last forever. To be eternal. He looked at the window and he knew it stopped raining. Then he looked at the clock at the nightstand and his mouthgawked widely- it's 7:20 PM! "Oh my God." He hastily got up and apologized to the girls, "I'm sorry, I've got to go home now."

"Wait, Kimura..." Sakaki joined in as they went down together, hastily putting on clothes.

Outside, Kimura quickly bade the girls farewell and kissed both of them in the cheek as he went out on his way into the cold damp street. Walking briskly, he was trying to get his mind in order so his beloved would not notice anything strange that would inevitably lead to the dangerous revelation of his affair with his students. Along the way to his home, he slowed his pace and ruminate on the events of that occasion. He knew it was wrong... he couldn't help but feel not only guilty of infidelity but of corrupting two minors. Yet... he could not refuse them either. He enjoyed their company back there. He could not... deny it. He smiled as he walked down the street, contemplating about the good things there. He wouldn't mind if Kaorin was invited to join them the next time but she would start crying even before that started... He quickly shook his head before that fantasy went too far. He looked at the cross he wore around his neck. There was the guilt again, knowing about what he just did. Then images of the awful caricatures of that old book Sakaki presented to him assailed his head, their imagery of terror frightening him to the very core. He decided to run the rest of his way before his nerves are frayed. There's one last thing he thought about as he dashed down the cold wet sidewalk, _'Let's just keep this among ourselves'_.

* * *

Phew! This is the longest chapter I've ever wrote. Hopefully the others wouldn't this long.  
Author's note: The song _Taishō a _is the ending theme of the second season of the Higurashi series, Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kai. While, the song sounds so soothing and jazzy, wait till you read the lyrics translated into English. I also made Kimura Catholic for plot reasons, especially the irony. This is probably you might call total OOC mindf#$. This isn't the whole story however. You haven't seen anything yet.


	5. A Teacher Crosses The Threshold

**Chapter 2 - A Teacher At The Threshold  
**

One time, I had 665 hits in this story and when I told my friend about it, he made the 666th hit. Oh my God! Does evil and the powers of darkness have some sort of attraction for me? I hope not, especially the 'other' kind of attraction. I've read about the triple disaster that hit Japan. The earthquake, tsunami and reactor plant explosion in one row is simply unbelievable. My sympathies go out to Japan, who suffered the worst nuclear plant catastrophe since Chernobyl and for enriching the world through their literature. Hope they recover and that God keeps all manga authors/artists safe, together with their colleagues in the anime industry.

_Why are we never quite at ease in the presence of a schoolmaster? Because we are conscious that he is not quite at his ease in ours. He is awkward, and out of place in the society of his equals. He comes like Gulliver from among his little people, and he cannot fit the stature of his understanding to yours._

-Charles Lamb(_The Old And New Schoolmaster_)

Naomi Kimura was sitting on the living room table helping her daughter with her homework. Already, the clock showed 7:59 and her husband has still not arrived. She was starting to get worried. She looked at the table. The table was set and laden with food. And the rain had stopped already, almost an hour ago. She hoped he wasn't getting into any sort of trouble. By 'trouble', it not only means an injury along the way or even a dreadful mugging, it also meant something else to her, considering her husband's nature. He was staying at the house of one of his female students for the duration of the downpour and he hoped he hasn't done anything wrong there. She sighed as she looked back at the clock. It's 8:00.

Kimura finally arrived at his house, feeling a little tired from rushing down the street. He knocked on the door.

The knocking of the door jolted her to her feet. She stood up and rushed to the door.

She opened it.

"Sorry, I'm late honey." Kimura said as he entered the door. Naomi hugged him tightly and kissed him on the check. Kimura returned the gesture with his own kisses.

"That's alright." She replied. "I'm just glad you're okay."- she led him inside- "I have dinner ready."

"Oh, thank you." Kimura replied cheerily. "You make me hungry when say that." It was no joke. His wife is such a great cook. Her sunny smile made him warm inside.

"By the way," she added, "you didn't have dinner there, did you?"

The question stopped him in his tracks. He almost forgot about his affair with his two students. While it sounded like an innocent question whether he ate at their house or not it seemed to direct a jab, a subtle inquiry on his fidelity and control of his thirst for high school girls. It made him sweat a little, frightened that his wife might be curious or that he might slip up and give her a hint unintentionally. He gulped nervously as he spoke up. "No." He finally managed. "Just a light snack."

"Oh." She said cheerily. "That was nice of them."

"Yeah..." He replied absently, chuckling nervously. "They're quite generous."

"I hope they didn't stuff you too full though." She replied happily as they entered the dinning room. He breathed heavily, still tense about his close brush with revealing his secret to his wife.

"Where's out little angel Hanako?" He asked. He sincerely wanted to see her daughter. He also wanted to rid himself of the feeling of guilt and self-loathing he had. That 'little time' he spent with them. He wanted to get rid of it, at least for now.

"She's upstairs doing her homework." She replied.

He smiled. "That's a good girl."

His stomach rumbled. Naomi chuckled. "Let's not keep the food waiting." They sat down on the chairs. "I'll lead the service tonight."

He remained silent as he raised and clasped his hands in prayer. They trembled as Naomi recited the prayer. He said that prayer as well back at the house, where he had his meal with them before consummating their affair. Brief, random dreamlike flashes of memory flitted into his head as each word is said. He breathed slowly and heavily. He looked directly at his plate in order to divert his mind away from those glaring flashes.

The prayers are finished and they started dinner. They made small talk about how their day went. Kimura happily went along until the part about his stay at the house. It made him uneasy as he began his alibi.

"After I got up, I stayed with them for a while and review some of their homework," he said.

"That's nice but wouldn't it be like...," she replied, "Uh... I don't know. Helping your students with their homework?"

"Uh... Well, they need help with some areas they didn't understand. I'm a teacher after all."

"Oh, I see. Well now, you were there to help them."

"Yes, but they understood after a little bit of work."

His wife nodded and smiled. "Well, I'm glad to see that your students trust you to help them with things they don't understand."

Something in the back of Kimura's mind jarred him with pain, but outwardly, he just grinned. He looked at his wife. She looked lovely just like when they first met. Her beautiful eyes, her wavy hair the color of dark honey. Her sweet personality. Those are reasons why he was drawn to her. Anyone would kill somebody just to have her. He really felt terrible as he looked on, feeling he betrayed her by having sex with his two students. He realized about how selfish he was back there; he should have told them off rather then give in to his weakness...

"Daisuke, what's wrong?" She asked.

He realized that he was stare at his half-eaten food the whole time. He quickly faces his and said, "Oh, I was just thinking about what to do tomorrow."

"Oh." She replied. "I think you should finish dinner first. You can't do anything on an empty stomach." She giggled a bit. He turned to his food, eating and enjoying his wife's cooking with gusto. His wife's cooking is the best he ever knew. He asked for seconds and ate happily.

"My, my," she said happily, "I never knew you were that hungry. I think that light snack of theirs was just hold off your appetite for the moment."

Dinner is finished and Daisuke Kimura planted a kiss on her cheek, thanking her for the wonderful dinner. After that, she cleared the table and proceeded to wash the dishes while he went to the living room to prepare tomorrow's lessons. As he sat down he heard his wife hum a song. He shuddered again. His hunger only offered temporary relief from his guilt. As his wife song he also pictured Sakaki humming like that too. Yes, she hummed a song while preparing snacks for herself, him and Yomi. He tried to concentrate his mind on his work but it felt like century to not allow his mind to drift back to the house, their gay voices, their angst, their hospitality... He finally shook his head and got through his work, which he finished in three minutes.

His wife left the kitchen and dining room. She went upstairs to check on their daughter. Kimura slipped behind and ran to the kitchen. He grabbed a glass and filled it with water. He drank in one swig, breathing heavily. He wiped the sweat of his brow and sat down. He undid his tie, relaxed himself and tried to think of other things.

Naomi emerged into the kitchen. Kimura turned his head quickly. "Oh, Naomi. I thought you were out."

"Out?" She said in puzzlement. "I was just checking our daughter." She went to the fridge to get a pitcher of water and took out two glasses.

"How is she?"

"She's sleeping." She smiled brightly as she handed a full glass to Kimura. "Would you like to see her?"

He thought for a moment. He decided against it, not wanting to wake her up._ A growing child needs her sleep_, he thought. He looked at her. "Can you finish early?"

"Why?" She asked curiously.

He gave her a knowing wink. "You'll find out."

She paused for a while then said. "Wait for me upstairs. Be sure to freshen up."

He nodded like a small boy. He got out and left in a hurry. He got up the stairs and went into the bathroom, standing in front of the mirror. He removed his jacket, his tie and was unbuttoning his shirt when he noticed some dark-colored marks on his neck. Hickeys! There were four or six love bites on his neck. He was frantic, not knowing what to make of this.

"Honey, I'm done. I'm coming up now." He heard his wife call out to him. Quickly, he turned back to the mirror when he noticed that the marks have disappeared. He blinked in disbelief, surprised to see that his marks just vanished.

He sighed in relief. He said to himself, "That's just my overactive mind playing tricks on me again." But he was not sure _if _it is his imagination. He looked at himself back at the mirror. He touched the places were they used to be. Not even a trace. The love bites, telltale signs of his affair, might have made Naomi curious and demand answers from him. His wife reached the top of the stairs.

"Are you done, Daisuke?" She asked.

"I'm just about to freshen up." He replied.

"Okay, hurry up. I wanna what your surprise is."

"Alright." He finally peeled of his clothes and gave his body a quick wash. After that, he picked a towel and dried himself up, trying to stop thinking of those bites. He went out. "I'm done~," he sang.

His wife went inside as he got out. At the bedroom, he changed to his shorts. He sat down on it, pondering about what he'd done back there. Peeping at high school girls is one thing. Committing adultery and having sex with them is an entirely different matter. It would more than just a slap in the wrist. He would receive suspension, his poor wife would suffer from the stigma of being his wife, bearing the memory of his sin. And his daughter too. He shuddered at the thought of his daughter going on with the rest of her life without her father and taunted by people about what he did. And his in-laws, who do not approve of his love to his wife to begin with, would hound him mercilessly and demand Naomi to divorce him. The very thought of divorce from his love tore his heart.

He lay down on the bed, shutting his mind out of the thoughts before they could get to him. Sighing slowly, he turned his head as the door opened. His wife entered, clad only in towels. She disappeared into a folding screen were she changed. Naomi didn't seem to mind as her husband is in the room. To Kimura, however, her very presence had filled the room. She left the screen dressed in a pink nightgown, giving her an angelic air. Kimura's mouth went gaped at her beauty. She seemed to float as she walked towards him. She slid herself beside him in bed.

She pulled in the covers and turned her head to him. She stroked his shoulder lovingly. She then said, "It feels like our honeymoon, isn't it?"

He adjusted himself so he was facing her. She looked both sensuous and innocent. Her smile seemed heavenly, lighting up the room with her brilliance. He stroked her hair and her face. "Yes. It does. You looked beautiful." His hands strayed to the buttons of her nightgown.

She then said slowly, grasping his hand, "Shall we?"

"Yes..."

But first..." She suggested. Remembering their custom for evening prayers, the made the sign of the cross and prayed. Naomi prayed serenely, not noticing her husband's trembling hands or shaky voice.

Their clothes strewn on the floor, the Kimuras slept soundly, the blanket the only thing covering their bodies. Daisuku Kimura's arms are grasped around his wife's body. It seemed like a long time since their lovemaking ended. His eyes stirred and he opened slowly. Awake, he gently slid his arms of her body and rose. His sight was blurred since he was not wearing his glasses. He felt lightheaded. The room was still dark save for some light from the window. He noticed a silhouette sitting on the sill. It was almost spectral, seeming to float in place where its fringes looked loose. He turned to the nightstand to pick up his glasses. He put them on and looked back at the window. It was gone. He blinked his eyes in surprise. He laid back on the bed and pulled the covers.

He noticed something on the blanket. Something seemed to crawled underneath the blanket. He groped his hands to inspect it. He felt it move upward he looked at the blanket to see a portion of it raised up and begin moving towards him. He could feel hands grasping his limbs and his body. He tried to back away but it held him in place. Finally, it stopped. Kimura can't do anything about it, not knowing whether to get away or fight back. Then Yomi emerged headfirst.

"Don't be afraid, Kimura-sensei," she said reassuringly.

Kimura opened his mouth but no word came out. Slowly, she stroked his face. Then wrapped her arms around him; her naked body on top of the teacher. He embraced her in return. Then their mouths met. Their hands exploring each other again. He enjoyed it. They undulated slowly, savoring again passions only minutes old. Then his wife moved all of a sudden. He froze in fright. She just tossed and turned her back on him.

Relieved, he sighed slowly. "Yomi, I don't think we should do this." He shuddered slowly and slowly removed himself from her arms.

She lay at his side. "What's the matter?" She teased, "I don't see any reason why she shouldn't wake up."

"Seriously, Yomi!" He whispered desperately. "If she catches us together, she'll kill us."

"Well, I would like it if she joined us. It would be fun and you might like it too." She giggled and nudge her head on his shoulders.

"Yomi, please." He pleaded again. "For the love of God-"

"God?" She hissed. She rose up into a sitting position, not even bothering to cover her body, nude above the waist. Her eyes glared angrily at Kimura. He cringed and tried to back away. "Why did you utter His name here? He has no authority here."

He trembled at the tone of her voice. It sounded cold, angry and confident. She then continued. "Do not amuse me by feigning ignorance. How do you justify your impiety towards your vows?"

"Vows?"

"Your vows of fidelity. The vows you swore to keep during your marriage. Tell me about us. Were we good?"

In terror he could not answer her. She smirked darkly, "Go wake your wife." Almost hypnotically, he turned to his wife. He screamed horrifically.

Naomi is now a shriveled gray corpse. Her eye sockets are empty with a dark reddish smear sipping from them, across her now wrinkled face. Her mouth was agape like that of a fish. Putrid stench escaped her body. She croaked in a dry voice. "Daisuke? Why did you lie to me?" She raised a bony hand at him. "You promised me you will love me."

"I'm s-sorry," He stuttered, trying to back away. His heart beat so fast that he could barely hear his own troubled breathing. "P-please forgive me."

"Forgive you? How pathetic!" She wheezed demonically. "You should crawl back to a hole like the worm you are, _wretched dog_." Her hands slowly sprouted horrific claws. He was about spring off but Yomi grabbed him and held him in place. He struggled but her grip was too tight, too strong.

"Isn't she beautiful?" She cooed with a twisted smile. His bones shook. Then his wife stood, her body a grotesque parody of her youth and life. She let out a horrible shriek. Kimura whelped helplessly and tried to turn his head but Yomi grabbed a fistful of his hair and held his head straight. Naomi picked his glasses and threw them away. She glided one of her nails to glide a nick above the edge of his eye. She then pushed it a little into it, causing him to wince in pain. Blood seeped slowly from the rim, stinging his eye and blurring his vision. He whelped even more, wailed in terror as she ripped his eye apart.

"Ah!" He jolted upward, breathing heavily. He looked around. His vision was blurred and he realized he wasn't wearing his glasses. He scolded himself for his forgetfulness. He shakily picked up the glasses from the nightstand. He hastily put them on and turned on the bedside lamp. He looked around again to see if there was anything unusual. Nothing. Sighing in relief, he turned to the alarm clock, which registered 3:00 AM. He looked at his wife, who was sleeping soundly next to him. She seemed sensuous with the blanket covering her bare body. Feeling regret and remorse for his selfish affair with his students, he leaned down and kissed her on the check. Feeling uneasy, he lied down again shut off his eyes, hopefully to relieve himself of this guilt feelings.

Naomi Kimura finally woke up from from her sleep, alerted by the alarm clock, registering 4:00 AM. She clicked it off. She then turned to Daisuke lying down beside her. She smiled and gave him a kiss. She then slid off the bed and picked up her panties and nightgown and put them on. She silently left the bedroom and went out the door. As she went down the stairs, she felt a cold chill from her back. She quickly turned her head to the direction of the chill. She felt apprehension at the suddenness and strangeness of the chill. She looked around and shrugged her shoulders, going to the kitchen to prepare food for breakfast and lunch as she happily did in each late pre-dawn morning.

* * *

Sakaki walked to school as she usually did. The air was crisp and made cold by last night's rain. The birds whistled cheerfully as the sun warmed the the chill away. She was musing about what to do in school when Chiyo appeared. "Good morning, Miss Sakaki," she greeted.

"Oh, morning, Chiyo-chan." Sakaki greeted back at her friend. The cute genius jumped at her and embraced warmly. Chiyo smiled brightly as she looked at her eyes. Cute and adorable as always, the tall girl let out a smile.

"The rain's really heavy last night. I got scared of the thunder so I went to sleep early." Chiyo said.

"That's why you're early today," Sakaki noted. She too is afraid of thunder, together with earthquakes and construction workers who might sometimes be clumsy on the job. "I thought I might meet you later."

"Well, it's good to see you. We'll go to Osaka's house."

"I see. We'll drop by at her house." The two of them walked on as they chatted about yesterday's events, the coming storm didn't give allow them to walk home together.

"There's something in the internet I want to search about," Chiyo said as they stopped by Osaka's house.

"What is it?" Sakaki asked.

"There's a goddess in Egyptian mythology named Bastet," She answered cheerfully. "She's cat deity."

"Cat... deity," Sakaki said to herself softly. It sounded very differently to her. For sure, she knew from previous lessons that people worshiped animals during ancient times. They worship dogs, cows, and all sort of things. But cats... It was just too good to be true. _How do people worship a cat?_ She thought. She knew about Ancient Egypt with its mummies, pharaohs, temples and other things. Then something hit her!

In her mind, she imagined a kitten sitting on a throne inside a magnificent palace. In front of it, everyone bowed down to it to pay their respects, singing songs of praise, offering choice fish and generally revering it. Such a cute scene made her eyes sparkle with glee. Chiyo looked at her friend, who shook giddily with joy. She wondered what she's thinking right now.

"Um... Miss Sakaki?" She asked.

Sakaki was taken from her revelry. She looked at Chiyo, who was looking at her curiously. She hastily and awkwardly composed herself. "What is it, Chiyo-chan?" She asked quietly, blushing in a little embarrassment.

"Uh... nothing," Chiyo simply said, deciding to drop the topic as it is. The gate opened and Osaka stepped out.

"Good morning, Chiyo-chan," She greeted sleepily.

"Monrning, Osaka," Chiyo greeted back.

"Good morning," Sakaki joined in.

"What 'cha stopping for?" Osaka asked airily. She just closed the gate behind her.

"Well, you're here now. Let's go," Chiyo said. They all march into the road to school.

"You know, I had a weird dream last night," Osaka began as they walked.

"What's that?" Chiyo asked. They passed by a truck.

"I don't know." Osaka's eyes strayed upward. "It's kinda funny and a little scary."

"What's your dream like?"

"Well... I forgot most of it." Chiyo and Sakaki's eyes popped blank and white. Then Osaka added, "But it has like houses, thick rolls of paper that smell like moths and..." Osaka went on to describe forests of gnarled trees, big old dusty houses, ruins in hot deserts, and generally anything from benign to strange in between. Sakaki knew that any dream described by Osaka makes no sense whatsoever. But some of her descriptions seemed to bother her, especially of dark places, deserted locales and old books in claustrophobic corners. She shuddered a bit and purged such thoughts from her mind.

Classes have started. Yukari was beginning her English class as always with her usual antics. As she discussed, Tomo is also doing her own little slapstick with Yomi.

"Hey, Yomi," Tomo called her.

"What?" Yomi replied in an annoyed tone.

"Did you see that YouTube video I sent you the other day?"

Yomi fumed with anger. That video is about Gary Brolsma and his Numa Numa video. It was sent to her by Tomo, entitled, _Great Workout Video_. That and other sets of videos of dancing fat people pissed her off. "Yeah... I did." Her voiced seethed with annoyance and anger.

"Did you like it?" Tomo mewed with puppy dog eyes, clearly trying infuriate Yomi.

The meganneko didn't even look at her as she cooked in rage at her latest insults. She wanted to pounce on the wildcat and pound her to pulp but she had to contain it, Miss Yukari's still around. Yukari had finished writing on the board. She turned to her class, "Okay, class. Copy what's on the board and we'll discuss this later. To the bathroom!" She swept through the door and ran out. Everyone sweat dropped.

Tomo commented, "Wow, Yukari probably drank too much last night." She referred to her party-like drinking habits which most people knew about. It was no secret at all about that.

Seeing their teacher gone, Yomi can finally erupt in rage and attack Tomo. "DOUBLE CHOP!" She shouted, striking Tomo on the head and knocking her out hard.

"Yeow!" Tomo yelled. Her back got to the floor with a thud. Yomi was about to jump on her when she rolled away. She then flippd and taunted her some more, making stupid faces and sticking her tongue. Even angrier, Yomi gave chase to Tomo as they rolled around the classroom in a exact remake of a Benny Hill chase scene. Tomo laughed happily while her 'best friend' growled angrily. The commotion was loud enough for someone to hear it outside.

"Well, you're starting to get the hang of it!" Tomo sneered, ducking around Yomi's grab. "You sure you don't need to stretch out first?"

"I'll tear you limb from limb if you keep saying that!"

"Fatty can't keep up!"

Tomo shouldn't have been tempting fate like she was. Almost the instant she said that, she ran into the chalkboard, bouncing away a few feet before getting a good knock on the head from Yomi. Triumphantly, Yomi pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose, looking down upon her fallen adversary with a vicious grin.

"At least I can see." She glowered.

"What in the devil is going on in there, Tanizaki?" The door slid open, and the burly new principal took a step into the room. "You'd better not be..."

Yomi looked up in terror, knowing full well what it looked like had happened. The principal knew nothing of Tomo's provocation, and saw only what was presented, which was Yomi standing over another, unconscious student.

"What is going on?" He demanded. He was surprised to see a fight occurring during class hours. Yomi's mouth went wide open, not knowing what to say. The principal stepped inside the classroom. "I assume that all of you have good explanation about this ruckus so you better start answering questions," he demanded tersely.

All the students backed away carefully, not wanting to be in his line of fire. In just a few months his no-nonsense approach to school discipline made it clear that he is in charge, exerting effective control and has made quite an impression on the student body, which had collectively learned that being sent to the principal's office was, once again, a sentence to be feared, something they had forgotten since leaving grade school.

"Um... she... started it?" Yomi managed weakly.

"I expect to see both of you in my office directly after school. If you're not there, I'll call your parents and they'll have the opportunity to drive you here, something they will not like in the least." He turned around. "Don't even think about skipping out. That is all for now." He left the room.

Everyone went back to their seats. Tomo and Yomi limped back to theirs without any word, realizing that that their long-running sitcom would have to end. Chihiro whispered to Kaorin, "See, that's why you never break school rules while he's around." Kaorin nodded in glum agreement.

Yukari, cheerily skipped back to the classroom when the principal accosted her. "Miss Tanizaki, where were you when you're students were fighting?"

"What?" Yukari was puzzled, "Who's fighting... Oh yeah~, Yomi and Tomo, they fight all the time." She replied plainly.

"And you let them be? Where were you again?" He demanded again.

"What? I was at the bathroom," she explained, waving her hand emphatically.

"At the bathroom," he gave her a sharp look, eyebrows raised, "Miss Tanizaki, you better straighten your behavior and drinking habit. I will no longer tolerate study halls and unproductive shenanigans. Better get back to your class, Miss Tanizaki. Don't waste anymore of my time." He walked off, straightening his back. Hajime was also very firm towards the faculty, clearly reminding them they are accountable to him and their parents as well.

Yukari fumed and swore under her breath. She stomped towards the classroom, angry about being dressed down yet again by Hajime. _That principal's such a prick_, she swore mentally. She rushed into the room and faced her students angrily. "You brats! Thanks for getting Mr. Hajime on my ass! You better start pushing your pencils or it's your butts!"Everyone did as they are told, writing an essay about how to behave more properly, sweat dropping and shuddering in fear while they did. An angry Yukari is someone they shouldn't trifle with. They averted their gaze from her, fearing that she might find someone to take her rage on. She thought to herself, _Just thinking him and that earful he gave me just pisses me off!_

Osaka was having some trouble trying to write the essay. She tried to think of a better way to define 'proper behavior'. Her eyes wide open, she seemed to look through the pad she was writing on for a solution that might appear. Her eyes seemed intent to stare its way through the pad, seeking an answer from beyond. It took her a few seconds to realize that she couldn't think of something unconventional to write in an essay about good behavior. She asked Chiyo, who sat in front of her, for help.

"Hey, Chiyo-chan," She asked slowly, "how do you write an essay differently? I wanna write something different."

Chiyo sweat dropped. Ordinarily, she might have given Osaka a little advice on the matter, although it might have gone differently than what Osaka intended. But not today. With Yukari fuming, the last thing she would want is the English teacher bearing hard down on them. "Osaka," she replied, "I don't think it's the write time to ask."

"Why not?" Her smile is practically affixed on her mouth, her eyes still wide open, seeking to explore the solution.

Yukari's eye caught her, her veins popped crosses of annoyance. She then marched to Osaka's seat and stared down on her. She then smiled, "Having a problem, Osaka?" Chiyo shuddered and focused on her work, fearful of Yukari.

"Well... I have a little problem with the essay." Osaka's eyes closed cheerily.

"And what's that~?" Yukari asked cheerfully.

"Oh, I just want to write in another way-" The airhead suddenly realized that she talking to Yukari. She then relented, her arms woobly, "No! That's not what I-"

_SMACK!_

Osaka earned a smack on the from Yukari. She wailed softly from the blow. "Ow, ow, ow." While this happened, another commotion is in the making.

Yomi wrote on sullenly, her head low in shame. She didn't want to think of what was coming for her and Tomo, and she certainly didn't want to get a helping of it from Yukari first.

"Hey, Yomi." Tomo whispered, "I wasn't paying attention. What're we writing about?"

The pencil in Yomi's hands snapped in half, and with a noise not unlike a rusty, creaking barn door, her head rotated until it was fixed on Tomo. "You didn't hear what Yukai-sensei just told us?"

Tomo replied dumbly, "Uh, no."

Yomi was enraged by her friend's idiocy. It was bad enough for them to get into trouble with the principal but it was maddening to listen to her ignorance. She seemed unrepentant of the fight they had a little while ago. She said, "Why don't you figure it on your own and leave me in peace."

"Come on, Yomi. I honestly didn't hear it."

"Shut up!" She snapped at her, annoyed at her friend feigning stupidity to get her jollies. She could hear Tomo snickering.

"Quite, you two!" Yukari shouted. The two girls shuddered in fear. The English teacher approached them. "Because of you two, you made me an idiot in front of the principal. I've got a special penalty for both of you after you get out of his office." Her glare hovered over them menacingly, angry eyes red with fire.

In fear, they dug their back to writing, not wanting to say anymore. At a seat near the window, Sakaki ignored the commotion and went on writing. While she did, contemplated about what she would do after school. She was thinking about that cat goddess Chiyo was talking about. _Bastet was her name, right?_ She thought. After she finished, she looked outside to see storm clouds gathering. They were gray and heavy, threatening to bring rain over the school. She looked at a fluffier cloud. To her, it looked like Kamineko. She really wanted to pet the gray cat but it seemed unreasonably hostile to her. She wanted to reach out to the Kamineko cloud to pet him, even if it might bite her for sure. The bell rang, indicating lunchtime. Everyone got up and passed their essays. The class walked out of the room uneasily after that incident, hoping nothing else happens during the day.

* * *

Lunch began and everyone rushed to the canteen for food. Some of the teachers too but most of them would eat at the faculty. Kimura went to his desk to sit down. There was a cloth-wrapped lunchbox laid on top of his desk. He smiled. He had forgotten to bring his lunch again and Naomi has to bring it over to school. He should start bringing his own lunch instead of making poor Naomi walk all the way to school. He sighed a little and sat down and overheard two teachers talking about two students Hajime caught fighting. He stood and asked them about the students. He stood and went away.

"No, Kimura," the principal replied brusquely, "that I won't do. Those two were caught fighting while Tanizaki was away. I have to make an example of those two."

"But you don't have to punish Yomi, uh, I mean, Miss Mizuhara. She was annoyed by her." Kimura knew that if any fight between the two erupts, Tomo is the instigator. It's about time Tomo learned her lesson.

"I do not care much about who started it. As far as I'm concerned, they were disturbing the peace, therefore they should be penalized for such an offense." He crossed his arms.

"Come on, she's a good student," he pleaded again, "if you can't let her off, at least give her a lighter sentence-"

Hajime cut him off. "Kimura, I know about your behavior, your antics. From your record and from what most of the students and teachers say about you, your behavior is quite distasteful. I should advise you to behave decently in front of your female students. And many of the boys see you as some sort of role model. They seem to agree with your 'antics' and have acted accordingly with a little of the same etiquette as you. I have seen some of them in my office in the past few days. You have anything to say for yourself?"

"Uh... I like high school girls?" He replied squeamishly. "But I didn't mean to-"

"That's the point. 'I like high school girls'. Your conduct forms a paradigm for borderline sexual harassment. And you seem to disregard social distance with your female students as much as Yukari disdains authority somewhat. Since no one ever filed a report about you, my predecessor has overlooked that but I will not."

"I see..." Kimura replied dejectedly.

Hajime sighed and softened his voice. "I know that you're trying to keep the peace but I'm in charge now, which means you don't try to undermine my authority. There will be no such exceptions here." He then he gave Kimura a sharp look. "If you're planning anything involving her, don't."

Kimura didn't reply for a while. Then he finally said, "Alright, I see what you mean."

"I think we have an agreement. Behave yourself at least. This discussion is finished."

With that he returned to his desk, feeling a little spent. He decided to eat lunch alone, quietly. It seemed not a good time to mingle with his fellow teachers.

* * *

At the library Chiyo sat at one of the computers used to search the internet. Sakaki, who was looking for a book about animals, noticed her and approached her seat.

"Chiyo-chan. What are you doing?" She asked her.

She turned around and faced Sakaki. "Oh. Hi Miss Sakaki. I'm just searching for Bastet the Egyptian cat goddess."

"The cat goddess you told me about?" Sakaki asked, taking a seat beside Chiyo.

"Yup. I'm curious about her. I heard something about her from a National Geographic documentary about ancient religions last night."

Immediately, Sakaki's head was filled with adorable images of a cat-goddess... she blushed and smiled at the thoughts, as they became more and more cripplingly cute by the second.

"Goddess of protection, cats, and the sun... viewed as a good mother by her worshipers... this is really cool, Miss... Sakaki?" Chiyo turned around, seeing Sakaki lost deep within her own thoughts, and giggled softly.

"Um... Miss Sakaki... Is there anything wrong?" She asked, a little bothered by Sakaki smiling happily on her own.

Sakaki instantly snapped out of her musings again, noticing Chiyo is watching her.

"Nothing, Chiyo." She dismissed, looking away quickly. Chiyo went back to her research again.

"It's always interesting to read about the understandings of ancient civilizations like this." She said idly, "This was absolute truth way back when. I wonder, will our beliefs be ancient history some day?"

"That's a deep question." Sakaki straightened herself a little.

"Oh. I see. I'm not sure how long will that be." She clicked to on another part of the article called Bubastis. She called Sakaki, "Oh look, Miss Sakaki. This is Bubastis. This old city is where her worship is centered around on."

Sakaki couldn't believe this. "She... has... her own city."

"Yeah. The Greeks gave the city its name. And it's even mentioned in the Bible." Chiyo clicked on the 'Bible' then recited the verse Ezekiel 30:17, "'The young men of Aven and of Pibeseth -Bubastis- shall fall by the sword: and these cities shall go into captivity.'" Then they read about by how the city fell.

By 525BC, Egypt was essentially the only empire not conquered by the Persians. At that point Cambyses, the son of Cyrus the Great, set out to do just that. Cambyses and his army crossed the fifty-six mile stretch of desert to the Egyptian outpost of Pelesium on camelback; they then clashed down upon the Egyptian army who were reluctant to strike back at the sacred symbol of the cat upon the Persian shields.

"That was somehow harsh," Chiyo noted. "I guess the Egyptians can't bear to hit their own holy animals."

"I know how they feel," Sakaki added, noting her experiences with Kamineko. No matter how much she got bitten by him, she never got angry at the gray cat.

"They died to preserve the image of their faith." Chiyo shook her head. "I can understand why you would do that, but... I never think I'd be able to follow through with something like that."

"It's a tough thing to understand."

"Yes, it is..."

Having said this, Chiyo sighed. "I don't really like to think about that. Reading about defeated armies is one thing - imagining how that must've looked way back when is another."

"It couldn't more worse. How about those Danish cartoons?" Sakaki referred to the Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy.

"I know. Everyone who was offended by them went angry." Chiyo shuddered at the thought of sacrilege bringing people down or inciting hatred. Those cartoons fueled violent backlash that at first threatened to bring war all over the world. She then added, "I don't think we should talk about religions and war right now."

"Yeah, I think I agree," Sakaki quietly said. She too shuddered from thinking about blasphemy and bloodshed put together in one place. The bell rang. Chiyo and Sakaki got up and turned off the computer. Then they left for afternoon classes.

* * *

Outside, the rain had begun. The downpour pounded furiously on the windows of the school as afternoon classes proceeded. Everyone was busy during Kimura's period. They recited and discussed the choice literary pieces, along with his obligatory rants, before they took a quiz. As they started Yomi felt miserable, now that she would be visiting the principal's office. She also fumed at Tomo for jumping into this mess _with_ her. Now their parents are gonna have a talk with them. She focused on her quiz to quite out the rage and irritation inside, writing furiously with popping veins on her head.

Writing down her quiz, Sakaki lifted her head a little and noticed Kimura. The Literature teacher had an odder than usual look. He moved his head like a CCTV cam, sweeping from one place, briefly staying put before hovering to the next one; repeating the cycle again. She also noticed that he moved his head back and forth from Yomi's seat to hers. Then his head turned back to her seat. He smiled without closing his mouth. She found it creepy and looked back to her paper. She felt a chill on her back looking at him. For some reason, she felt he was... different. As she observed a little more she noticed Kimura was agitated a few seconds later. His head shook a little, his hands had a slight tremble. She decided to ignore that before they looked to disturbing.

The bell rang. It was the last period of the day, PE. Everyone went out, the girls shifting their feet more hurriedly than the boys, obviously wanting to avoid the ecchi teacher and his 'sincerity'. The room emptied rapidly.

"Oh yeah," Kagura said excitedly, "we're playing volleyball today." Some of the students voiced their agreements. The class rapidly emptied and now there were only to people left in the room now: Sakaki and Kimura.

Kimura remained on the desk as the tall girl sifted through her bag for a few things she needed. Kimura looked at her and smiled. He relished that night he spent with Yomi and Sakaki. It was quite the best time in his life. The passion, the warmth, the touch of their bodies - his forbidden fantasies come true - seemed eternal and fulfilling. The rain got louder and some thunder claps growled.

Sakaki winced at the thunder. She feared thunder more then anything else. That reminded she had PE class and had to catch up when Kimura accosted her. She startled by his sudden appearance in front of her.

"Hey there. " He asked.

"Hm?" She regarded him. Then she replied politely, "What is it, Mr Kimura?"

"Oh, I'm feeling super. Just like last night." He replied. His smile widened to something more creepier than his previous faces. Sakaki shuddered a little. She was puzzled by his statement. _Last night? What happened last night?_ She thought.

He continued, "That was nice and all, how about we do it again tonight? "

"I don't know what you mean." She became fearful, unable to comprehend about what he meant.

"Oh you do." His eyes bore down on her, seemingly to scan her from head to foot.

"Um... what? "

"No... not nice... that was INCREDIBLE! " His grin widened, affixed.

"Kimura-sensei, whatever are you talking about... " She backed away a little, wanting to put a little distance between him and her.

"YOU KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT!" He shouted excitedly.

"I'm going to be late for volleyball if you keep me any longer, Mr. Kimura.," she reminded him.

He then suggested, "You can change in here if you want. " It was too much for her already.

"No, that's fine. My locker is... in the locker room." She replied hesitantly.

"Oh, I see. May I escort you there?" He offered. Her legs wobbled and she backed away some more. She whimpered a bit. She was definitely frightened. She looked at the door. It looked quite distant from where she stood. She wanted to bolt for it but looking at him, she though she might not make it for Kimura might block her if she did. She thought about pushing him away if he did but she wasn't sure if she can pull it off. Fear seized her body, refusing to permit her flight. Those eyes glared unnervingly at her. They told her about what he was thinking, casting no doubt of something unwholesome. She heard his slow breathing. She wanted to run, to scream for help but her mouth held tightly. Like a groper from a subway he stepped a little closer.

The door opened. Yomi said. "Hey, Sakaki. Are you there? It's PE time, we're gonna be..." Her voice trailed off when she saw Kimura and Sakaki at the corner of the room. She could see the tall girl visibly frightened at the staring pervert, who doesn't seem to let go of it. Kimura's open-mouthed smile was truly horrid. He then turned his head slowly to Yomi's direction, the face transfixed in its dreadful expression.

"Hey, Yomi." He greeted lively with his abhorrent beam. "It's nice for you to join us-"

"Like hell!" She retorted angrily, cutting him off. She marched towards them and stepped in. "Come on, Sakaki. We're leaving this creep." She grabbed her wrist and pulled her away from him like a mother with an unwilling child on tow. She found it disturbing when he said her name her friends called her. Being called by your nickname by someone the likes of him is definitely not something she'd want from him. Not wanting to dwell on it, she made it all the way outside, then to the hallway some distance from the classroom, ignoring his frantic pleas for them to 'stay a little bit.'

They finally made it the changing room. The two girls changed to their PE gear just in time for Miss Kurosawa to get in the gym. As she did, she noticed Sakaki fumbling with her shirt. She then approached her helped her tidy up her shirt. She then asked concernedly, "Are you okay?"

"Yes..." She replied hesitantly, "I'm fine." Yomi could tell from her voice and face that she is not.

"You really don't look fine," she said sympathetically, "what did he do to you there?" Sakaki explained with reluctance about what happened in the classroom. Yomi said, "Oh my. That Kimura's crossing some serious lines there. Tell you what. You can report to the principal about what he did." She patted her shoulder reassuringly.

"I don't know. I don't think we should just jump into conclusions."

"Sakaki." She sighed. "People like Kimura don't know about keeping their distance. They need to learn some decency. Don't be fooled if he has some sob story. They'll do anything to justify their antics."

Sakaki didn't smile but felt a little better inside. Yomi went on, "Don't worry, Sakaki. Just stick with us and don't go anywhere near him. You'll fine."

Sakaki let out a soft smile. "Thank you."

"No problem. Let's play volleyball before Kurosawa-sensei calls us." With that, the two girls walked out of the the room to join their friends at the gym. It was good to have friends who are there for her during those bad times. The more she thought about it, the more she felt she needed it for something in the back of her told her something to fear. A fear of something obscure, hidden away at the corner she couldn't quite point out. She had that strange feeling that it may not be last she would ever hear of Kimura.

* * *

Okay, folks. This is latest chapter is for you to read to your heart's content. For those who have no idea about what Chapter 1's title mean, it's a reference to the honeypot trick used in espionage or blackmail, where sexual seduction is used to lure a target into a trap.


	6. The Reddening Skies

**Chapter 3 - The Reddening Skies**

A/N:I seem to be crossing the lines in this one. Making a horror fic using Kimura and the interplay of lust and horror is not easy on my skills nor is it in my mind. Perhaps writing these off-putting scenes was influenced by Clive Barker. And I won't put a lot of details, just to keep it subtle and to make sure lust is not the key theme here alone. If I'm insane, perverted or skilled, take your pick. Again, this fic is not for the fainthearted.

_ Red sky at night, shepherd's delight; red sky in the morning, shepherd's warning_

-English proverb

Classes have ended already and many students are going home; hanging around the grounds for a quick chat; reporting to their clubs or sports teams; or doing their cleaning assignments. As usual Yukari's class did as school regulations allow – except Yukari wanted it in another way. Ever since she got chided from the new principal for her alleged neglect of duty she wanted to punish Yomi and Tomo for that by making them clean the classroom all by themselves for a week but since they're in the principal's office, she had to settle with postponing that and granted the classroom cleanup duty to Sakaki, Kaorin, Chiyo and Osaka.

She was in the faculty, sitting on her desk and seething with annoyance about how she couldn't get to punish those two right now. It would be nice if the principal allowed her to administer the penalty to them but she was very upset that she didn't even walk to his office and suggest it. She was checking the essays of her class, the essays she demanded from them. The topic: good behavior. Most of them had crooked kanji, obviously written in a fearful hurry. Many of them have an essentially identical message about good behavior that they're almost sycophantic. The essays were the same, staid affairs which were written by students who most possibly face her wrath but one of them caught her attention: it was Osaka's essay. Yukari's eyes turned blank when she read parts of it that mentioned her in an different light.

It was written, "Well, Yukari-sensei is a bit strange and always hedges bets on every sports fest with Miss Kurosawa. She owns a car with lots of dents and drives like it's a racing game, which is helpful if you're afraid of roller coasters. She always goes with us during the summer break to Chiyo-chan's summer home. She's okay, just a little off from time to time. And she teaches other subjects besides English although she ain't good in them..." Yukari stopped reading from there.

She then pounded Osaka's essay hard on the table in anger. She looked around and noticed Osaka sweeping in the corner.

"Osaka!" She shouted, startling the girls.

Osaka, however, reacted slowly and calmly as thought it was a bird's chirping. She turned her head around, then walked to Yukari's desk. She asked, "What is it, Yukari-sensei?"

"I would like to ask you about your essay," she said. Yukari seemed to have reverted seamlessly back to being a pleasant educator, although everyone who knew her knew that she's just really bringing her anger to the fore.

The Osakan now stood in front of the desk. "What about it?"

"I would like to congratulate you for your wonderful essay," she said happily, with a twitchy-eye forced smile that Osaka didn't seem to notice.

"Really?" Osaka beamed with with a blank expression.

Almost immediately, Yukari's eyes went red, her veins popped in her head, growled loudly, "Hell no! What I see written here on your essay is a really truthful and blunt statement from our resident airhead, you! If you think you find it funny making me look like an idiot with your little paper by citing our little 'life experiences', I'll be happy to knock some sense in your head."

Osaka's face turned into an equally blank expression of fright. "No, no, Miss Yukari," she pleaded, "I don't want that. I promise to change it."

"Good." She smiled with evil glee. "Now change your essay before I-" She heard some footsteps outside. She looked over her shoulders, suddenly alarmed. On the shadow, she could see the silhouette of a heavy-set man through the glass of the door. _What the hell?_ she thought. _Is that jerk Hajime making his rounds again?_ Seeing that she doesn't want to get lambasted by him again, she turned to Osaka. "Osaka, you're excused."

Osaka instantly became happy again. "Yay."

"Excuse me, Miss Yukari," a different voice chimed.

_Huh?_

The door opened and it was one of the janitors, who worked in the school for twenty years already. He was portly, had a balding head and walrus mustache. "What's all the commotion about?"

She sighed with relief. She said to him, in a reassuring tone, "Oh, that's nothing. I'm just here trying correct my student's shortcomings."

"Really?" He raised an eyebrow in curiosity. "Cause that sounded like a racket over there."

"That's nothing, it happens sometimes and it's none of your business~," she sang cheerily.

"Okay..." he replied, sweat dropping. "Just to warn you, he's asking me to report any sort of suspicious activity. I think he's riled up about that Kimura fellow or something?"

He excused himself and left. Yukari went white in shock. _What? That jackweed's actually telling the staff to spy on us?_

Her face turned blank with bewilderment, then it turned red with anger. "Why the hell does that Hajime bastard piss me off?" she growled in anger. The girls shuddered, startled by Yukari's sudden outburst. She picked up the papers and was about to get out when she sees the four girls staring at her, Osaka did, of course, with a blank expression of 'o'. She shouted at them in anger, "Get back to work." She stomped off and slammed the door, leaving the girls sweat dropping.

Osaka slowly turned to her pint-sized genius classmate. "Hey, Chiyo," she asked softly. "Is it because of my essay?"

"I don't know..." Chiyo replied, having no idea what actually transpired.

* * *

The rain stopped but the schoolyard outside was thoroughly drenched and only a FIFA-type soccer team can play in that sort of ground so all sports activities took place in the gym. Kagura assembled along with other members of the swim team. They're mostly there to exercise under Miss Kurosawa. She said to them, "Alright, everyone. Since we can't have swimming as scheduled, we should perform some exercises. Let's do some warm-ups for a while."

They made a few light exercises. Kagura settled to the floor and stretched her limbs, like the thousand times she did every since the first year. As she toned up her legs for the intensive workout, she turned to another member of the swim team, Kazuki.

"Man, rains are getting more frequent this year," she noted.

"Yeah, maybe it's thanks to global warming." He chuckled.

"Speaking of global warming, that new principle is turning the heat up in here," Kagura said. The principal had already made a string of penalties on students who were often repeat offenders to various school rules and regulations.

"Well, too bad for those guys," he said, "glad I'm not them."

"You said it," she agreed. "Although bad timing for my friends."

"You're friends?" He was puzzled.

"Tomo and Yomi," she answered, "making noise again."

"I didn't know."

"They got busted by him when Tomo got Yomi pissed for one thing or another. He was just walking by when Yomi busted her chops." Kagura stretched her legs a little. Then she continued, "He told them that they were going to his room. He also burned Yukari while she going to bathroom."

"That must have been tough," he replied. "Well, she met her match."

"In a way, yeah," Kagura agreed. "Although technically, it wasn't Yomi's fault in the first place. Tomo ran right into the blackboard." The sight of Tomo crashing into the board was the funniest thing she ever saw. "And Yomi gave her the finisher."

"Running into a wall, bounce off and land on Yomi's fist. That's smart of the school wildcat." They continued the rest of their exercise until Kurosawa got them ready for some basketball.

* * *

Kimura was shuffling papers on his desk, trying to stop thinking of last night's escapade. It was bad enough to have an affair with two students, but it almost spilled over when he was alone with Sakaki. That would have been disastrous, not only for him, but for them as well.

He did, however, felt rejected. At the classroom, they renounced him almost immediately, much to his disbelief. Why would they do that to him? Don't they remember the passion they had last night? They did they regret that and felt guilty, then reject him? No... It seems they have forgotten about that. That's a good explanation, they wouldn't renounced like that all of a sudden. Perhaps he would ask Yomi and Sakaki before... He put that out of his mind before continued his task. Yomi was with Tomo right now, awaiting punishment. He would have to leave soon. There's actually nothing left here for him to do. The door slid open loudly and that startled him. Yukari stomped in the room with a crossed expression.

"Damn," she muttered as she went in. She took her seat on her somewhat untidy desk.

"What's wrong, Yukari?" Nyamo asked, turning to Yukari.

"I can't believe Osaka wrote me in her essay as a moron," she replied offhandedly, visibly irritated.

"Really?" She raised an eyebrow skeptically. The last person to write down Yukari like that would be Osaka, and that's unbelievable.

"Yeah," she cried, handing Nyamo a paper. She read it and was surprised that it was Osaka's essay, and even more surprised to see it was comparatively mild compared what Yukari ranted about it. "Yukari, this doesn't look like what your saying."

"But look at the way she wrote me," she ranted again. "How the hell am I gonna explain to that jerkweed principal-" She stopped abruptly the moment she made that slip-up.

"Wait, this was your own activity?" Nyamo asked. "And how are you going to explain yourself when he reads that?"

"Uh... well?" Yukari smiled and sweated nervously, twiddling her fingers, trying to think of something. Then something hit her and she took it quickly. "Oh no, not really. It's off the record," she chimed.

"Just like that?" Nyamo was nonplussed by her friend's absurdity. "Yukari, that was the lamest excuse you've ever made. He's gonna ask us what this is all about."

"Not with a little love letter will help." She winked back at her. Nyamo turned pale when she heard it.

"What?"

"There's nothing to worry about, as long as you don't tell the principal, I won't divulge your love letter." She did a little dosado in triumph.

"Hell no! I won't let you do that," she snapped.

"That's not something you can run away from." Yukari smiled.

Kimura, seeing where this was going, silently made himself scarce and left the room. He could hear them argue as he left. He walked as fast as he could to get away from the din of the faculty room. Most the students were rushing home, casting shadows along the hallway, courtesy of the overcast sky. As he walked he averted his eyes from the girls as they kept on reminding him of Yomi and Sakaki. Their laughs, their chatter, their innocence.

He felt a bit hazy, avoiding people more by instinct than by real sight, yet instinct is a faulty compass, he narrowly missed some of the people in hallway. Their chatter echoed loudly, everything was a blur, his brisk walking was like that of a man desperately searching shelter from unseen elements besieging him. The whirl of images dancing in the dim gray of hallway, contrasted by the harsh white overhead lights, seemed to mock him. He then took halting half steps, trying to navigate his way through, feeling weak and limp.

He finally reached the restrooms. He leaned shakily on the nearby wall, his face pale as he panted heavily. He was sweating profusely and wiped his forehead with his handkerchief. He went to the nearest door and got in. He immediately went to one of the sinks and opened the faucet. He cupped his hands and splashed some water on his face. He looked at the mirror, his wet face stared back at him. He was confused, bewildered. What's wrong with him? Is it guilt of his sins of the flesh? He couldn't tell for his mind was muddled severely.

A cubicle door opened behind him. He was startled, too startled to move at all. From the mirror, he could see it was the music teacher, a bespectacled woman with a purple skirt and a white jacket.

"Kimura, what are you doing here?" she said with an annoyed voice. "This is the ladies' room."

Kimura turned his head slowly. He replied shakily, "Ahh... yes... I think I took the wrong room... sorry."

"You better be." She gave him a look that is at once serious and suspicious. "Your shenanigans are not amusing."

He simply nodded and half-dragged himself out of the room. Out, he went away in briskly from the room, fortunately for him, no one else was around when he got out. He dropped by a vending machine and ordered an iced tea. He took out picked out the straw from the pack and stabbed it. He sipped the cold liquid, which refreshed him with its taste. He sighed with relief. His mind seemed clear of the mental clutter that plagued him earlier. He was about to move on when he spotted Sakaki through the hallway. He was turned away and was about to leave.

"Kimura-sensei," she called out. He froze mid-step. She got closer to him in rather hesitant steps. He took a deep breath and slowly faced her. Her head stooped a little and her eyes have a glazed look, almost as if she was taken in by a deep melancholy. "Excuse me..." she said softly.

"Yes?"

"Well... about what happened at the classroom..." she began. "I... didn't mean... it..."

"In that case..." he replied awkwardly. Why would Sakaki apologize for being startled by his behavior a while ago? It doesn't make sense. "I know you didn't... but I don't think I was being exactly polite to you back there." He chuckled nervously. Kimura would have turned away when Sakaki held his arm. She looked around to see if anyone's around. There's not a soul in sight where they are. She let him go.

"Come with me, please," she said. He nodded and they walked together.

* * *

Kagura wiped a line of sweat from her forehead. She sat down, tired after a good game of basketball. She finished a bottle of mineral water and put away in here bag.

"What a game, man," Kagura remarked. Their game was quite fast-paced and many other members of the swim team are tired and barely moving a muscle.

"Boy... I'm bushed," Kazuki puffed. "You were quicker than Dirk Nowitzki."

"Hey, I like a good game." Kagura flashed a smile.

"Boy, by next school year, every sports team would want to have you in there club." It's no joke that Kagura was very good in most sports.

Kagura smirked. "Only they want Sakaki in their team."

"Oh yeah..." He paused. Sakaki, the most popular girl of the school, has always been the most sought after one due to her natural physical prowess, even Kagura had to admit that the tall girl can outrun her in the one-hundred meter dash. The only thing she can best her in is stamina events such as marathons. "Wow, she sure beat you back there in the hundred meter dash. You sure you don't take that seriously?"

The tomboy smiled cockily. "No. Not at all. She's quite great and I hope to challenged her again."

"Good luck to you then," Kazuki replied. He knew Kagura is not one to back down on something she sets her eyes on. She would work harder and harder until she attains the optimal performance she wants. The boy walked away and went for the door. After a few seconds, Kagura stood up and went out as well, going to the girls' locker room. She got in and sat down to chat other girls of the swim team until they left the room little by little until she was the only one. After that, she then took a bath at the shower to wash of the sweat and dirt from her body. It refreshed her, made her clean from inside out. She wiped herself dry with a towel, then changed to a fresh set of clothes and was finished when she heard the door open. There were a pair of footsteps when in. Kagura peeked behind a row of lockers to see who it is.

Sakaki and Kimura cautiously entered the locker room. They looked around to see if anyone's around. Kagura instinctively backed away and slowly went to her locker. She crept in and slowly pulled the door closed, the slits on locker slits providing her some vision while concealing her. To see them together and milling around like they're being watched was astounding, especially in the light of Kimura's and Sakaki's natures. "What are they doing here?" She had a feeling in her that told her that it's not good. He sat down on one of the tables.

"Why are you leading me here?" Kimura asked.

Sakaki closed the door behind her and turned off some of the lights. She went back to the middle of the lockers and sat down with him. Her head bowed down a bit. "We just need to talk alone. I think this is a good place."

"I see..." He looked around the room and asked her. "Is there... anyone around here?"

"All of the sports teams are gone," she replied. "I don't think anyone would be coming here to check on anything."

"Okay, but why do you want to talk to me in here?"

"Well... I don't feel comfortable talking with you if we speak anywhere else. It's better here." She bowed her head slightly. Kagura knew Sakaki doesn't talk much, even in casual conversations but to hear use full sentences was a little odd - unnerving actually since it was coupled by her politeness to Kimura in the room.

The sentiment was understandable. No girl would want to be in speaking terms with him in public for very good reasons. But it rarely happened to him for girls to approach him and when they did, usually they come to him half shuddering and always eager to walk away as quickly as possible. The only exception so far was with her and Yomi but that's another matter. "Oh, I can see that." He looked around a bit. He then faced Sakaki. "What was what you're meaning to say to me?"

She looked up to him, that sad look not leaving her face. "I'm sorry for what happened at the classroom... I don't mean to be like that."

That stunned him. He chuckled nervously. "Well, most people would react that way so you've got nothing to feel sorry for."

"No, that's it..." Sakaki replied.

"So... what was it...?"

"Well, you see," she began, "we know that anyone might find it strange if either me or Yomi started meeting you regularly. We had to put on act so no one would be suspicious of us."

He now understood why Yomi and Sakaki rejected him back in the classroom. They had to do it so no one would be curious about them if they're together. He placed a hand around her shoulders and patter her. "I understand. It's alright. I'm not angry with you over that." he said to placate her.

She beamed up and her eyes brightened. "Thanks, Kimura-sensei."

"Okay then, now that's settled we should go home now." He was to stand up but was still held up to the table by Sakaki in the arm. He sat back down.

Kagura was watching them through the narrow slits of the locker. She was already baffled by their rather conversational nature. She muttered to herself, "Sakaki, what are you doing with that guy?"

Sakaki got closer and said, "Play with me, Kimura-sensei. Play with me like you did last night."

He froze in terror. Sakaki is asking him to do it again and ... right here in school. He gulped nervously. "What on earth are you talking about? Right here?"

She nodded her head excitedly. Kimura awkwardly adjusted the collar of his shirt. "Please, Miss Sakaki. It's risky, we're still in the school grounds."

"Don't worry, I've checked this place a dozen times before I brought you here," she assured him.

"I don't think that's good enough," he reminded her. "In any case, we shouldn't be doing what you're asking for."

"But please, I just want to make up for you," she pleaded. The way she did reminded him of a little girl. He doesn't know if he can talk his way out of this.

"No, I don't think it's a good idea..." he replied weakly. He wanted to go away but he felt that he shouldn't for some reason. He finally conceded to her, "Alright, let's just make it discreet."

He was instantly engulfed by her warms as she gave him a warm, tight hug that nearly squeezed out his breath. He embraced back as well, his arms enveloping Sakaki's back. She then laid her head on his shoulders.

Kagura's eyes went wide with shock. The creepy teacher and the tall, dark bishoujo girl hugging each other like they were best friends. No, that was understatement. They hugged each other rather casually and intimately.

Sakaki pulled back a bit. Kagura seem stunned, judging from from her narrow vision. Kimura said something she couldn't hear and Sakaki was displeased. They were both talking in hushed voices but Kagura able to make out some bits of their conversation.

"_Please, Kimura-sensei... I know you don't like it... just give it a try..._"

He shook his head with displeasure. "_No... I won't do it... it's not right..._"

"_But... it's between both of us..._" she pleaded again.

"_... It's going too far..._"

"_... just once..._"

Kimura replied inaudibly. Kagura didn't hear it but she knew that he might have gave in to whatever Sakaki whispered to him.

They stood up and walked to the row of lockers where Kagura is hiding. Her stomach tightened in knots as they got closer, fearing they might have spotted her in the locker. The pair finally halted just a few feet away from her. Her back pressed on the lockers, Sakaki was practically pinned there by Kimura's hands holding her wrists. They stared at each other for while, breathing heavily, lustily. Kimura drew his head slowly until their lips met.

Kagura was paralyzed by this sight. She had to stifle a gasp and keep her composure so she wouldn't expose never expected this. Never! What was Sakaki thinking? How could she... She continued to watch their lovemaking, eyes affixed in alarm.

Their kissing became more vigorous. Kimura released his grip on her wrists, his hands wandering to her hips while her hands clung to his upper back. She tried to pull him closer but he held. His right hand moved to her butt while his left climbed up her belly and up to her breasts. He grabbed her butt and played with her breasts, making Sakaki shudder and giving out a slight moan. He sank his lips into her neck and savored her. As he did so, his hand crept back and went underneath her skirt. He was touching that soft part of her that he didn't get to do last night. Sakaki moaned some more, her face full of mirth. His hand crept beneath her panties and touched her there. It felt good, Sakaki sighed heavily and she one one hand slide from his back and crept to her skirt to pressed Kimura's hand there.

This undulation continued for a while until Kimura pulled back and halted. He said to her, "Turn around, Sakaki." She did as she was told. With one arm he wrapped her waist and held her closely to to him while went under her shoulder and slowly lifted her blouse. He did until it was hiked up above the breasts. They then sat on the bench, Sakaki seating on his lap. He peered down her shoulders to look at her peach-colored bra. It was nice to see her breasts again. Sakaki gently stroked his face with her arm like pet like she was petting a favorite cat.

Kimura returned the gesture, making a purr and touched her hand stroking his face. He kissed her neck. Then her hand led his to her breasts. His hand groped her for a while as Sakaki giggled. He then slipped her hand beneath her bra to feel her nipples, grabbed her bra and hiked it well out of the way, freeing her breasts from their constraint. He palmed her breast to feel their weight and shape. He smiled happily and began fondling her breasts. He made her spread her legs a bit more, his hand on her waist then stroke and began working beneath her skirt.

Kagura felt the life drain out of her, watching Kimura play Sakaki like that. They undulated together in a very perverted manner. Revulsion to this unnatural affair was not the only thing she felt. She also felt some lust herself, an odd, unsettling yet strangely enticing. Why she felt like this, she can't understand. At all. She felt shortness of breath and a sort of high with a feeling of repulse. She pushed the walls of the locker to keep herself from slumping down. She closed her eyes to stop watching the disgusting spectacle performed in front of her. That didn't mean she could flush out the sounds of their lovemaking and to had to endure it all, the moaning, the sighing, and the gasping...

It stopped.

Curious, Kagura opened her eyes to see them standing up. Kimura undid his pants and Sakaki her skirt and they were instantly naked below the waist, kicking away their lower garments and footwear. He then sat down on the cold floor with legs astride and his back on the lockers. The sight of him sitting down made her stomach churn. Then Sakaki lay down on her side on the floor in front of him and...

That does it! She nearly threw up and almost choked on her own vomit to keep quiet. _Is Sakaki actually... *Ugh*!_ That thought and that sight was too much for Kagura. She had no evil thoughts about her friends and Sakaki doing such a horrible, lecherous act never crossed her mind. But here she is, consummating it with the most repugnant teacher of the school. Even Kimura would not go this far - until now. She closed her eyes hard and covered her ears, propping her arms against the walls of the locker to keep from sliding down. She wants all this to end, this scene to stop, run away, and hope it was just a horrible dream.

Kimura sighed loudly while Sakaki made love to him. Oh yes, this was something he thought was not possible. All inhibitions have slipped away and they're together to enjoy each other's company once again. The only person missing was Yomi. Regretfully, she had to await punishment with Tomo over that incident in the morning. He also touched her nicely in turn, enjoying their consensual affair. _Sakaki, is this what you wanted? _he though_t. You wanted to make this our special moment, I'm glad to have oblige_. Then finally, they reached it. It was drawing near. They both felt it, they quickened the pace.

It happened... He finally reached the summit with her. It was this brief, instantaneous feeling of fulfillment washed over him. He looked down to Sakaki smile happily, though she looked a little tired.

Sakaki slowly pulled herself away from him and rose up, sitting beside Kimura. They cleaned themselves up and relaxed. Sakaki laid her head on his shoulder, her arms grasping his. Kimura caressed her head lovingly. He felt renewed, revitalized, and ready to come out of the world. Yet, he was not satisfied, not complete, he still had something to finish. The two faced each other, looking into each other's eyes. He asked awkwardly, "So... did you like it?"

She smiled and nodded innocently. The tall girl was so sweet. Encouraged, he asked her again, "Are you ready for another go?"

She flustered a bit. "Uh... I don't know... maybe I'm a bit tired..."

"Let me help you then," he replied. With a grunt he took Sakaki in his arms and lifted her up. By God she was heavy, not unusual for girls of her height and build. He lowered on his knees and slowly laid her on the floor. Sakaki looked a bit startled. He hoped he wasn't going too far with this. She reached out for her skirt and pulled something out of it. It was a red metal foil.

"This one's for me," she told him as she ripped it open pulled out its content.

He realized what it was and said. "Excuse me, Sakaki. Can I help you put it on?" he asked.

She paused for a while, then said, "Let's put it on together."

Kagura looked through the locker slits again to see what happened. Sakaki had finished jerking him off. They stopped for a while to catch their breath. They talked for while, then he lifted her up and lay down on the floor. She knew what he was gonna do to her, only to pause for a while. Whatever it was, it they finished and sooner than she expected, Kimura was mounting on Sakaki. Her legs wrapped around his waist and her arms pressed on his back, Kimura was ravaging the tall girl hungrily, their bodies entwined like two monsters grappling with each other to the point of self-destruction. Kagura snapped her eyes shut again. To see Sakaki degrade herself like this already too much for her, the disturbing images she saw from her locker burned deeply into her mind, not to mention the sounds she heard from the room.

Their lovemaking was more frenzied this time. Kimura was grunting more and Sakaki's moans were louder this time. He was getting there with her. Sakaki was calling out to him, beckoning him further and further. He pressed harder and harder until elation returned to him again.

Tired as they are, he was still going for the finale. He had to repay Sakaki for the favor he asked her. This time it's gonna be reversed. He pulled away from her and have her seated on a nearby bench, her back reclining slightly. He then began to devour her there. Sakaki squealed with satisfaction and sighed lustily as the teacher feasted upon her. She moaned loudly as Kimura savored her like she was the richest wine of the world made from the finest grapes. Her body shuddered every time Kimura ventured further and then retreated, tension rising up quickly in her body.

She yelped, "Kimura-sensei! Thank you!" She can't hold back anymore, she had let herself lose and was overcome with ecstasy rippling all over of her body. She let out a high-pitch scream would have been heard all over the school. Kimura pulled back away and she slumped on the bench.

After finishing up, Kimura help Sakaki up they both cleaned slowly, their beings spent from their affair and put on their clothes on. Sakaki silently went for the door and opened it. She looked cautiously outside for anything or anyone around the empty hallways. After a few seconds, she's sure that there's not a soul around. She waved to Kimura to come.

"The coast is clear," she whispered. "I think we're the only ones left." He nodded in reply. Both of them discreetly exited the locker room while he made a comment about Yomi not around. The sun had already dipped into the horizon and the vestiges of its presence were the red-orange rays that lingered about in the darkened sky.

* * *

Kagura opened the locker after she was certain that they're gone. She fell on her knees and hands and panted heavily. She crawled limlpy on all fours to the nearest trashcan and vomitted into it. She took a minute to regain her composure, then she picked up her things and rushed out of the room. She made it to a fountain to drink and splash her face with water. She hurriedly walked out of the school as the cold winds picked up in intensity. She huddled in her clothes to shield her from the cold setting in as the evening began. She was able to reach home by 6:30.

"Hi, honey," her mom greeted as Kagura got in.

"Hi, mom," she replied wearily. She set her bag on the sofa and went to the kitchen for a glass of water.

"How was school?" she asked, wanting to know how her daughter's day went.

"It's fine." She then gave a brief description of what happened today, careful to leave out her encounter with Sakaki and Kimura.

"That's nice," she said and turned around. She saw Kagura was pale and sweaty, her eyes looked quite blank. She looked like she saw a ghost. "Is there anything wrong?"

Snapping back to reality, Kagura hurriedly explained, "Uh, no, mom. Why?"

"You look drained," she said. "Is there something bothering you?"

"No, not all. I think I'm tired from all that workout."

"Okay," her mother said cheerily. She was, however, quite worried when she saw her daughter drained of life. "Honey, if there's anything bothering you, don't hesitate to ask." She went back to preparing food, humming a song. Kagura sighed quietly with relief. Had she blurted out what she saw back there, it would make a lot more trouble than before. Dinner was ready and her family ate. Then Kagura was in her room, studying her lessons after doing a few arms exercises. Not exactly an easy task as she couldn't remove that imagery that assailed her mind, that wanton spectacle of sin that pulsed and writhed right in front of her. She tried focus on an English poem but decided to put it away in her bag and get ready to sleep, even if she wasn't sleepy yet. Perhaps she can try Osaka's daydreaming and spacing out. Maybe it can help.

She lay down on the bed and her slowly drifted mind away in silence, her eyes staring blankly at the ceiling. A few minutes later, she drifted off to some rather troubled sleep.

* * *

A/N: There you have it, folks. Another mind-blowing production from **Anime Borat**.


	7. Special Bulletin

Special Bulletin

Hello readers, I'm just here to inform you that I've deleted a third of my current chapter of Grimoire: The Lustbound Heart. I feel that it's written rather slowly and clumsily and that it gave too much spoilers.

I'm currently having difficulty updating my stories due to writer's block and family affairs so don't expect any new additions for now. I thank those who read my stories for their patience and I hope give some good reads later on. I appreciate those who can PM on anything about them.

Yours truly, Anime Borat.


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